Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Anand Sanasie, yesterday urged the national cricket team to break the jinx of not winning the Cricket West Indies Regional limited overs competition.
Sanasie was at the time addressing the team prior to its departure for Barbados where they will contest zone B of the two-zone competition.
Sanasie stressed the importance of Guyana winning this year’s competition, a feat they have not managed in over a decade despite always managing to put up a good show in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Coach Esuan Crandon, who was a member of the winning team in 2005, said he will aim to do his best to help the guys cross the final hurdle.
Crandon, speaking with Stabroek Sport just before boarding the team’s bus made a few brief comments.
“We will have two practice sessions over there (Barbados) and we’ll look to capitalize on those,” added the former fast bowler.
“The idea will be to get adjusted to the conditions, fine-tune a few technical things and get our minds right for our first game against Barbados (Pride).”
The former national fast bowler, who played 28 List “A” games, picking up 29 wickets at a decent economy rate of just over four runs per over, said that the job was not going to be easy.
“It’s going to be hard work… I don’t want to put pressure on anyone but we are going to take it serious, it’s a process and we’ll just have to take it one day at a time.”
When asked about the team’s combinations for the first game, Crandon was very candid and noted the plan will be to utilize most of the guys who played for Johnson’s 11 during the practice games.
“We may include an extra pacer or spinner depending on the conditions,” he added.
The extra spinner in the team is Steven Jacobs and he should do well if selected in the final 11 for the first game since the Bajans are suspect to quality off-spin bowling. Jacobs, is also useful with the new ball and can use his height to extract extra bounce which can pose some worry for the Barbados openers.
Guyana Jaguars, who landed in Barbados yesterday afternoon, will come up against the host on Tuesday in what is expected to be an exciting early round clash.
The coach, who can take heart in the success of the team’s performances in recent times, particularity in the regional four-day competition, will be hoping that the Jaguars can put to bed any whispers surrounding Guyana’s competence in the shorter format of the game.
The team should hold its own since only wicket-keeper/batsman Anthony Bramble, all-rounder Raymon Reifer and pacer, Paul Wintz are the players not to have represented the West Indies at either the West Indies A or West Indies Under 19 levels.
