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TCL Group regional U-19 three-day cricket (4th round)
Guyana aim to maintain points lead against
Jamaica
By Sean Devers in Barbados
Guyana’s last defeat in TCL regional under-19 three-day cricket was a crushing innings and 50 runs loss against Jamaica last year in St Kitts and when the two teams clash from today in this year’s fourth round encounter at Yorkshire the Guyanese will be seeking revenge as they aim to remain on top of the points table.
Guyana, who also lost to Jamaica in last year’s one-day final, are six points clear of second placed Barbados and 12 points ahead of the Windward Islands who are positioned third
with 16 points.
An outright win in this game for the defending champions could virtually mean a hat-trick of titles for the South Americans since, even if host Barbados beat the Leewards outright in their penultimate round game they will have to win their final game against Jamaica outright and hope that Guyana don’t get at least first innings point from Trinidad and Tobago in their last match.
Although rain helped Guyana’s cause in their last game against Barbados which ended in a No-Result after they were 46-2 replying to the host’s 300-8 declared, their consecutive outright wins in the first two rounds against the Leewards and Windwards, ensured they enter today’s round still leaders.
If Guyana’s batting this season has been inconsistent, Jamaica’s batting has been even worse since John-Ross Campbell and Kennar Lewis scored first round centuries for the Jamaicans, who last won the title at home in 2004.
In their last game against the Windwards, they were bundled out for 59 in their second innings as leg-spinner and leading wicket taker in the competition Kerron Cottoy took 10-85 in the match to lead the Windwards to their first outright win since they won their only title in 2000.
In the first innings of that game Jamaica lost their last six wickets for 11 runs to fall for 174 after their two West Indies under-19 players, Skipper Andre Creary and Horace Miller scored half centuries.
After taking first innings points from Trinidad and Tobago in the opening round, Jamaica lost their next two games, despite taking first innings points in both games and with 14 points from three matches, they will have to win their last two games outright and hope that the top four teams on the points table don’t get much points from their remaining game to have a chance of snatching the title this year.
Guyana will hope that their batting comes good as a unit although Jeetendra Sookdeo scored two fifties in the first round when Anthony Bramble also made a half-century and skipper Eugene La Fleur made a responsible 70.
The openers have failed to build big partnerships while senior players Jonathan Foo and Seon Hetmyer have not matched their talent with runs so far on pitches which have been good for batting.
Keon Joseph has bowled with pace, Leon Scott has been very impressive and the spinners, led by off-spinner Herman Latcha who has 12 wickets, have done a good job for Guyana.
La Fleur missed the last game due to a sprained ankle but should be fit enough to take back the captaincy duties from Fredricks, who joined Ramnaresh Sarwan (1997) and Troy Cornelius as the only Essequibians to lead Guyana at this level when he skippered the side in the last game against Barbados. Scott (back strain) and Sookdeo (side strain) are also back to near full fitness and will both play today.
Jamaica have not had consistency from Creary and Miller and although Jermaine Blackwood, Romeo Dunka and Gifton Wray (who took nine wickets in the last match including 7-33 in the first innings) have bowled well, the Jamaica fast bowling attack lacks the fire power which it had in Jason Dawes last year.
Hit by illness, two of their players (Garth Garvey and Patrick Harty) were forced to return home and were replaced by West Indies under-15 players Donavan Nelson and Jon Campbell who were in Barbados with their country’s under-17 side for the Sir Garfield Sobers International schools tournament.
A lot will depend on the talented Creary, Miller, Campbell, Lewis and the two Blackwoods (Jermaine and Nick) if Jamaica are to post a huge total against Guyana.
The adverse weather, which could also affect this game, should not be a major concern to the Guyanese as they march towards their 12th title at this level since Skipper Keith Arron led them to their first in the inaugural tournament here in Barbados 40 years ago.
The Guyanese practiced on Thursday morning while the teams were involved in a mandatory anti-doping seminar yesterday morning at their Hotel.
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