Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 11, 2014 Sports
By Sean Devers
When Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago clash from today in the final round of the 2014 Regional Four-Day Cricket Tournament at Providence, T&T will be going all out for an outright win to give them their sixth First-Class title, and first in eight years.
Guyana, winless in this year’s tournament and at the bottom of the points table and
have also been hit by more injury problems. Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and batsman Chanderpaul Hemraj are both ill and will be replaced by dropped leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and batsman Vishal Singh while yesterday Test batsman Assad Fudadin was replaced by Christopher Barnwell. Permaul and Hemraj have contracted chicken pox while Fudadin has a back injury.
Guyana have lost four of their five matches and the selection of Bishoo ahead of West Indies Under-19 left-arm spinner Godakesh Mottie-Khanai is a strange one while Singh who was unlucky to be dropped in the first place, returns to the side.
Both teams have won 11 matches against each other from 50 games at this level while 28 of those encounters have ended in draws.
“This game is very important since a win here will give us our first title at this level in eight years,” Coach Kelvin Williams told Kaieteur Sports yesterday.
He added that it will take a total team effort to come out on top in what will be their second away game of the season. T&T’s first away match, against Barbados ended in an innings and 160 runs defeat for T&T.
T&T has won all four of their home games to take the lead in the round robin phase of the Regional Four-day Championship.
The top four teams after the round robin phase advance to the semi-finals where they will vie for the George Headley/Everton Weekes Trophy. T&T are guaranteed a place in the top two and will host one of the semi-finals.
“We are at the top of the championship and a win against Guyana will see us clinch the trophy but at the end of the day, we need to play to win it. Everybody needs to bring their ‘A’ game and make sure they play a part for our success,” he added.
Even though his team is at the top of the standings on 72 points, seven better than second-placed Barbados and third-placed Windward Islands, who are both on 65, Williams says his side’s batting has been unpredictable.
“I think the batting has not been convincing. It is unpredictable. Sometimes we have a big score and other times we struggle, but I think if the batting can click on a consistent basis I will be happy,” said Williams.
Williams spoke highly of the young players in the team that have filled the gap left by the seniors. “After scoring a century against the Leewards 20-year-old Akeal Hosein picked up a leg injury and has been out of the team since and Left-arm spinner Ricky Jaipaul took 4-56 on debut against CCC.” Williams concluded.
The Guyanese are also without most of the senior players but Coach Esaun Crandon feels they would end the tournament on a high at home.
“This also an important game for us since although we can’t win the title, the players should all be playing for pride and personal glory while winning this game could also be vital to the revival of Guyana’s cricket,” Crandon said.
“Team spirit and confidence are a bit low in the camp and a match winning performance here will do the players, especially the younger ones the world of good. We dropped too many catches in the last match and bowled poorly on the last day when we should have won the game. But we have discussed what went wrong. It’s now up to the players to go out there and show improvement,” Crandon pointed out.
Guyana, with just 21 points from five matches, will hope for a repeat of their 1993 fortunes when they bowled out T&T for 85 at Blairmont in Berbice and will hope that Test spinner Bishoo regains his form and get support from Amir Khan and Zaheer Mohamed. Pacers Keon Joseph, Ronsford Beaton and Ruan Johnson could find work hard on what is expected to be another slow track.
Guyana’s batting has been their main worry this season and a lot will depend on Skipper Leon Johnson, their most complete batsman, to lead from the front. Taignarine Chanderpaul and Trevon Griffith will be keen to give their team a solid foundation for Johnson, Singh, Mohamed, Barnwell and Anthony Bramble to build on.
Even without Kieran Pollard, who scored a ton in the last game, and his IPL colleges, Dwayne Bravo, Ravi Rampaul, Sunil Narine, T&T has capable replacements in Lendl Simmons, who returns to the team, Darren Bravo, Adrian Barath, Jason Mohamed, Evin Lewis, Imran Khan and Skipper Rayed Emrit with the bat.
Test pacer Shannon Gabriel, Guyanese born pacer Marlon Richards and spinners Amit Jaggernauth, Khan and Jaipaul could do the bulk of the bowling for T&T.
T&T: Rayad Emrit (Captain), Adrian Barath, Evin Lewis, Darren Bravo, Jason Mohammed, Jonathan Augustus, Imran Khan, Steven Katwaroo, Shannon Gabriel, Amit Jaggernauth, Lendl Simmons, Ricky Jaipaul, Marlon Richards.
Guyana: Leon Johnson (Captain), Christopher Barnwell, Amir Khan, Trevon Griffith, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Zaheer Mohamed, Ronsford Beaton, Anthony Bramble, Devendra Bishoo, Shimron Hetmyer, Raun Johnson, Keon Joseph, Vishaul Singh.
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