Manager of the Guyana team which will open their regional one-day campaign in Jamaica on Friday, Carl Moore, is eager to see how the young talent in the squad will blossom.
Following their poor performances in the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 tournament openers Sewnarine Chattergoon and Travis Dowlin along with wicketkeeper Derwin Christian were axed from the 14-man squad which departs today for Jamaica.
The squad includes three new faces in opener Richard Ramdeen, middle-order batsman Jonathan Foo and fast bowler Keon Joseph.
While Dowlin, Christian and Chattergoon were only able to muster totals of 26, 14 and 23 respectively in the Champions League tournament, Ramdeen, a member of the West Indies U-19 team to the 2006 World Cup, scored 35 in his only game against South Australia’s Redbacks in Johannesburg.
It is the above trio along with Assad Fudadin and Christopher Barnwell and to a lesser extent Steven Jacobs and Leon Johnson that Moore is anxious to see perform.
Fudadin, he noted, has been around for sometime while Barnwell is considered to be the form player. Johnson and Jacobs are former West Indies Under-19 captains.
“Batting is a new territory,” Moore said yesterday adding…”We should have a good batting lineup based on the Inter-County competition.”
Since returning from South Africa Ramdeen has smashed a century while Barnwell has been in fine form. So too has been Johnson who seems to have rediscovered his touch.
The return of `Mr. Dependable’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul will also help boost the Guyana batting lineup which also includes skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan.
“It will be interesting to see how the new talent will perform,” says Moore.
Trinidad test
While the tournament will be played in Jamaica whose team will have the home advantage it is the Trinidad team who will be Guyana’s biggest test.
Ever since Guyana defeated the Trinidadians in the semi-final of the inaugural West Indies Cricket Board Twenty20 tournament earlier this year, there has been a lot of speculation as to which is the best regional Twenty20 team.
Trinidadians Dwayne Bravo and Keiron Pollard have been quite vocal and Pollard almost singlehandedly propelled Mumbai Indians to victory over Guyana in the Champions League and will no doubt be looking to repeat the feat.
This tournament is expected to add to that raging fire which is the rivalry between the two teams and the Trinidadians will no doubt be gunning for revenge which should result in a highly competitive and entertaining tournament.
Moore feels the Guyana side is as ready as could be possible with the few days’ practice the players have had.
The Guyana team assembled on Monday and had net sessions Monday afternoon and yesterday morning. Moore said the late staging on the annual Inter-County tournament resulted in their being no time left for the team to be encamped.
The Guyana team is expected to depart this morning for Jamaica.
They will open their campaign against the WICB High performance Centre team which is expected to include three Guyanese in Veerasammy Permaul, Brandon Bess and Rajindra Chandrika at Kensington Park.
Guyana squad: Ramnaresh Sarwan (capt), Chris Barnwell, Devendra Bishoo, Anthony Bramble, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Esuan Crandon, Royston Crandon, Narsingh Deonarine, Jonathan Foo, Assad Fudadin, Steven Jacobs, Leon Johnson, Keon Joseph, Richard Ramdeen