National skipper Leon Johnson will lead a 14-man Demerara team against Essequibo in the first round of the 2015 Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Four-Day Inter-County tournament which bowls off on May 16 at the Wales Community Centre Ground.
The 27-year-old West Indies Test and ODI batsman will begin this season’s campaign with a team which boasts a mixture of experience and youth while national left-hander Vishaul “Cheesy” Singh will serve as deputy to his fellow Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) teammate.
Demerara will have the services of West Indies veteran batsman Shiv Chanderpaul and that of a senior crop of players which include all-rounder Chris Barnwell, Trevon Griffith, Steven Jacobs, Rajindra Chandrika, Paul Wintz and Shemroy Barrington. Recently, Barrington ushered in his return to the county set up with a brisk hundred in the trial match.
The more youthful side of the team features Tagenarine Chanderpaul, spinners Steven Sankar and Raj Nannan along with pacer Gavin Moriah. Senior wicket-keeper/batsman Joseph Perry will be the obvious glove-man. Michael Franco, the veteran Berbice coach will assume the coaching role while another veteran Clive Grimmond will reinforce his more senior partner as the team’s Assistant Coach/Manager.
Opener Robin Bacchus who scored a half-century in the rain interrupted trial match was a shocking non-selection but it is left to be seen if the left-hander will be favoured by selectors for the 50 over leg of the competition.
In the other first round match, Guyana U-19 will go up against Berbice at the Enmore Community Centre ground.
Demerara Squad- Leon Johnson, Vishaul Singh, Rajindra Chandrika,
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Christopher Barnwell, Joseph Perry, Steven Jacobs, Raj Nannan, Steven Sankar, Paul Wintz, Gavin Moriah, Shemroy Barrington and Trevon Griffith.
