Albion Community Center Cricket Club have expressed their dissatisfaction with the constant overlooking of 25-year-old, Kandasammy Surujnarine by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and by extension, Cricket Guy Inc. (CGI).
Club President, Vemen Walter, and Vice-President Imtiaz Bacchus, in an exclusive interview with this publication conveyed their astonishment over Surujnarine’s sidelining by the GCB and CGI, particularly in the recent Guyana Jaguars warm-up matches for the Professional Cricket League.
According to Walter, “We at Albion are advocating for him to be giving an opportunity to show his worth because it is very sickening to see a talent like this go down the drain.”
The former Guyana Under-15 manager posited, “Kandasammy has always been a productive batsman in Berbice and has proven his worth in the last Inter-County tournament, he is a very talented batsman and to many, one of the top batsmen in Guyana so we are calling on the relevant authorities to take note of Kandasammy’s performance and give him the opportunity to play and move on to represent Guyana and the highest level.”
Since the start of the Berbice First-Division season, Surujnarine has been one of the leading batsmen. In the Banks Beer two-day tournament, Surujnarine has scored 112, 106, 83 and 0 in his four innings while in the Busta Champion-of-Champions limited overs competition, he has scored 95 and 36.
Surujnarine also scored a century against Georgetown in the recent CGI/SBF Petroleum 50-overs-a-side Franchise
League.
Meanwhile, Bacchus pointed out that the club has done everything in its power to voice their concerns over the discarding of the opening batsman but that has fallen on deaf ears. Bacchus said that the club was forced to go public over his sidelining since conversations with the GCB Territorial Development Officer (TDO), Colin Stuart did not bear fruit.
“It all started when we saw in the press the GCB announced two practice matches to select the Guyana Four-Day Franchise team and when we saw the two teams, they were players there who we feel Kanadasammy has performed better than and at least earn an opportunity to show the selectors what he can give,” Bacchus stated.
The Vice-President added, “We had a discussion with the executives [at Albion] to talk to the GCB. I was delegated to call Chairman of Selectors, Rayon Griffith, who did not answer, and Colin Stuart, who answered. I made our concerns known to him and I told him in no uncertain terms, you don’t have to select him in the four-day squad but at least have a look at him and call him for the two practice matches and see for yourself and if you are not convinced, then we will accept that.”
Bacchus acknowledged Stuart heard his plea and asked for an e-mail of the club’s position, which he said was forwarded from Walters to Stuart.
In that e-mail, the administrator said they indicated that it is a known fact that the selectors only look to Surujnarine’s fitness as an excuse for his non-selection and never on his performance but informed that, “the young man is working twice a day to work on it and taken the responsibility when most of the senior players are away.”
Bacchus continued, “He [Stuart] received it and said he forwarded it to the Cricket Committee and subsequent calls revealed that it was also sent to the management of the practice matches and after a few back and forth we were informed that the matches were not used for selection of the team and they can’t bring him in…the bottom line is they refused to bring him in.”
Bacchus explained that he is baffled as to why Surujnarine has continued to be disregarded and indicated that in some circles, the only rational reason for him to be treated this way is that it must be a deliberate plot to stifle him.
When contacted, Stuart admitted that there was correspondence between the two parties and that it was indicated to them that the main objectives of the practice matches were to give the players preparation for the Regional tournament and not a means of selection since they had a fair idea of the team.
Stuart added that due to the holiday falling just before the matches, it was difficult to facilitate him as well as the fact that the rest team composed of mainly CGI Academy players.
The TDO stated, “Be assured, that all players who are interested and get the opportunity to participate in cricket matches and other such activities under the jurisdiction of the GCB, will be subjected to an impartial system that seeks to identify, develop and promote players to national and international heights.”
Stuart indicated, “selection may be based on a number of factors including, performance, talent and promise shown and team composition.”
He noted it may be good for players to be aware of these factors that may impact their selection.
