Latest update February 4th, 2025 9:06 AM
TCL Group three-day U-19 cricket (2nd round)…Guyanese aiming for improved batting against Windward Islands
By Sean Devers in Barbados
In association with Digicel, TCL, Pepsi, Smalta, Demerara Power Company & Lifetime Realty
Guyana is aiming for an improved batting performance when they battle the Windward Islands from today at Combermere in the second round of the TCL Group regional under-19 three-day cricket tournament.
Despite beating the Leeward Islands by five wickets in their first round game to start the second round as joint leaders with Barbados, the South Americans will be disappointed with their batting performance on a good Kensington Oval pitch.
Seventeen-year-old Jeetendra Sookdeo who scored two half-centuries on debut and Anthony Bramble who made a valuable 51 to help Guyana to a slim six-run first innings lead, were the only Guyanese top order batmen to put up a fight and the idea of ‘batting long’ and ‘being positive’ was emphasized at the team’s two practice sessions on Monday and yesterday.
Royan Fredericks and Seon Hetmyer, two of the batsmen expected to do the bulk of the scoring this year both failed in the first round with Fredericks looking very tentative against the new ball.
Guyana will hope that left-hander Fredericks and Trevon Griffith can give their team a good start at the top of the order in this game and that Hetmyer, Skipper Eugene La Fleur, Jonathan Foo and Bramble can contribute in the middle order on what should be a track with some bounce.
Foo, in his fifth year at the regional youth level was a major disappointment with the bat in the first round with his impetuous shot selection and although he picked up three wickets with his leg-spin, his place in the side could be in jeopardy if he suffers another failure with the bat.
Leon Scott, in his second year at this level bowled magnificently against the Leewards and got great support from 16-year-old Kevon Joseph who bowled with genuine pace while the spinners; Herman Latcha, La Fleur, Totaram Bishun and Foo all bowled well.
Scott, with five scalps in the first round did not bowl much in Guyana’s practice sessions due to a sore back. His injury is not a major concern and he will open the bowling today.
The last time these two teams met at this level, Guyana won by eight wickets in St Kitts last year with Vishal Singh getting a century for the Guyanese.
Although the Windwards lost outright to Barbados in their first round game and their batting seems suspect, the Islands posses a formidable bowling attack spearheaded by their two bowlers back from last year.
Pacer Delron Johnson and off-spinner Dalton Polius, who picked up five wickets against Guyana last year and captured a five-wicket haul against Barbados last week, and along with Alton Audain, could provide a stern test with the ball for the defending champions.
Windwards’ Coach Shawn Edwards said the batting is a balanced one with everyone capable of contributing since they are no ‘big name players’ whom the team will depend on. He also feels the strength of his team could be its bowling.
Skipper Kerron Cottoy, Kaveem Hodge, Wayne Harper, Wicketkeeper Dennis Smith, Junior Jervier and Polius, who could be considered an all-rounder, will be expected to score the runs for the Windward Islands.
The least most successful team at this level with their only title on their own being in 2000 in Guyana (they shared titles in 1972 & ’73 as a part of the Combined Islands), the Windward Islands could again be affected by a lack adequate preparation and one of their main challenges could be trying to gel quickly as a team since their players come from several different small Islands that make up the Windwards chain.
Guyana on the other hand, is not short of turf practice this year despite the recent rain in Guyana since they had the use of the Guyana National Stadium for practice and with one of their best fast bowling attacks assembled in over a decade, the Guyanese has the fire power as they hunt their 13th title and their third hat-trick of championship victories in the 40 year history of regional youth cricket.
Teams (from) Guyana: Eugene La Fleur (Captain), Royan Fredericks, Trevon Griffith, Jeetendra Sookdeo, Seon Hetmyer, Eugene La Fleur, Jonathan Foo, Anthony Bramble, Herman Latcha, Kevon Joseph, Totaram Bishun, Leon Scott, Royston Alkins, Keyron Fraser, Dilon Heliger.
W/Wards (from): Kerron Cottoy (Captain), Wayne Harper, Dennis Smith, Kaveem Hodge, Junior Jervier, Dalton Polius Marvin Small, Delorn Johnson, Oscar George, Vincent Lewis, Alton Audain, Rudolph Paul, Audie Alexander, Keswick Williams.
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