-Left-hander makes return to boost team’s performance against B/dos this week-end
By Marlon Munroe
A Guyana team languishing in the cellar on a measly seven points and out of championship contention for the WICB regional four-day title will be boosted by the return of prolific middle order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul from injury for this week-end’s encounter against Barbados.
Chanderpaul, who was ruled out of the early rounds a week before Guyana’s first match against Trinidad & Tobago from January 15-18 due to torn ligaments in his fingers, has made himself available for selection.
Coach Rabindranauth Seeram told Stabroek News yesterday that Chanderpaul expressed his availability to the Chairman of Selectors Claude Raphael.
Seeram informed that though he has made himself available, Chanderpaul also has a final check up with his doctor during the week.
It is hoped that Chanderpaul, who has played 248 first-class
matches and has an aggregate of 17,772 runs, will be the backbone of an already grossly depleted batting line up missing West Indies number three batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan through to a back injury and ruing the loss of its lone centurion Narsingh Deonarine, and Travis Dowlin who are both in Australia playing in the ODI series for the West Indies.
The team drew its first match against T&T but slumped to defeats to Jamaica (by an innings and 27 runs) and the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in three days.
Seeram yesterday said that it was good to have the former World Number One ranked batsman Chanderpaul back in the team adding that he hopes that the younger cricketers will learn from his experience.
He noted that the experience can help to boost the spirit of the team that finds itself in the same position as it was in the last edition of the tournament.
Conversely, with a bowling attack that lacked venom in Guyana’s three rounds of play, the selectors have surprisingly recalled off-spinner Zaheer Mohammed.
They have added West Indies under-19 speedster Keon Joseph to the 16-man squad that will be travelling to Berbice today.
Left-arm orthodox spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who already has 13 wickets in the tournament, has been the most successful spinner but his spin partner right-hander Devendra Bishoo has contributed very little to the team’s effort with the ball – grabbing only four wickets from his three matches.
It is uncertain whether Bishoo will feature in the final 11 that is expected to be announced on Wednesday for Friday’s match against Barbados.
Guyana will be hoping that tall right-hand fast bowler Brandon Bess continues his impressive form that has seen him recording career best figures of 4-107 against Jamaica.
He currently has over 10 wickets in the tournament.
The selectors have also named wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble in the 16-man squad and this more that likely is a move to signal to Derwin Christian that his performance with the bat leaves a lot to be desired.
Christian made an unflattering and unprecedented record seven ducks in last year’s tournament and his mediocre performance has continued this year.
Squad reads: Sewnarine Chattergoon (Captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Zaheer Mohammed, Keon Joseph, Rajendra Chandrika, Vishal Singh, Assad Fudadin, Gajanand Singh, Christopher Barnwell, Royston Crandon, Esaun Crandon, Derwin Christian, Brandon Bess, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo and Trevor Benn.
