The manager and the coach of the national under-15 cricket team are of the view that the fitness of the players has shown marked improvement since their encampment on March 19 at the cricket hostel and training facility in Essequibo ahead of the Regional under-15 50-over tournament.
Manager Elroy Stephney stated that the coaching staff has been working on the general preparation of the players and a lot of focus has been placed on fitness. Additionally, Michael Hyles has been instrumental working along with Coach Adrian Amsterdam to help structure match simulations and other coaching drills.
Stephney also said that he is satisfied with the progress of the team and he expects the team to do well in the tournament that begins on March 27 in Trinidad & Tobago. He and the team are also aware that Guyana has never won the tournament, and the country’s best showing in the competition was third last year.
The management team, according to Stephney, has spoken “at length with the players about this particular title that has eluded Guyana.”
He said that it was pertinent for the players to know the history and ensure that they work hard to arrest the trend.
He maintained that the players should strive for an elevated standard of play at all times, especially since a West Indies under-15 team will be selected when the tournament concludes in April. Players were also urged to play sensibly and to bat longer, particularly during the middle overs of their games.
Therefore, Stephney noted, a lot of work has been done on strengthening the core of the team which has genuine all rounders. Further, he said that the senior players have been stepping up and realizing their responsibilities in the team.
He singled out the aggressive right handed batsman Brian Sattaur, left arm orthodox spinner Gudakesh Kanhai-Motie, Captain Shawn Pereira and his deputy, stylish Essequibo batsman Ricardo Adams.
He said that these selected players have led from the front in the two practice matches against an Essequibo-select under-15 team and an under-19 team and he can now safely say that Guyana this year can win the tournament.
Meanwhile, Amsterdam said that he has been focusing on physically strengthening the players and this he feels will help with their concentration in the actual game. He also stated that he has been emphasizing the importance of running between the wicket since it was somewhat negative during the recently-concluded Inter- County tournament.
Added to that he said that fielding and batting techniques were also focal points of the encampment and this will continue until the team departs for T&T on Saturday morning.
Guyana team reads: Brian Sattaur, Quacy McPherson, Romario De Jonge, Shawn Perreira, Shalendra Shameer, Parmanand Narine, Ricardo Adams, Kamesh Yadram, Prince Roberts, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai, Dexter George, Hassan Mohamed, Devon Lord and Vishaal Narayan.
Manager: Elroy Stephney Coach: Adrian Amsterdam
Standby players: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Henry Greene, Nazirdin Bux, Ryan Chichester, Raj Parbattie and Shimron Hetmyer.
