Battle of the heavyweights at Providence today

Nov 05, 2009 Sports

As Guyana aim to dethrone T&T in President’s Cup final

By Sean Devers
Plagued by adverse weather, sluggish pitches and small crowds, the 2009 President’s Cup Regional One-Day cricket competition climaxes today from 13:30hrs at the Guyana National Stadium with the two best teams facing-off for Championship honours.
In a battle of the heavyweights, defending champions and team of the moment Trinidad and Tobago put their title on the line against host Guyana in the 50-over Day/Night final and a massive crowd is anticipated.
While the local forecast has been unreliable, the sun was out in all of its brilliance yesterday and a full game is likely today on the Region’s fastest drying International cricket ground.
This is T&T’s 13th final since they lost to Barbados in the inaugural final in 1976 and their first against Guyana since beating the South Americans in Barbados in 2004.
Fans expect a riveting contest as Guyana, also in their 13th final, aim to stop a well oiled and united T&T team which 2 weeks ago reached the final of the Champions League 20/20 competition in India.
While the Daren Ganga led T&T should start as favorites, the Guyanese conditions favour both teams who both base their attack on the slower bowlers and posses batsmen who play spin well on slow pitches and it is difficult to pick a winner if both sides play to their full potential.
With 5 players with test experience expected to occupy the first 5 places in their batting order, Guyana, who won the last of their 8 titles in 2005 when they beat Barbados at Bourda, has a very powerful batting line-up and would hope that Sewnarine Chattergoon return to form to give the locals a solid start.
Travis Dowlin, already has 2 fifties in his short ODI career, and will want to stake a claim for selection in the starting X1 for the first Test in Australia in 21 days time with a century while Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chandepaul and Narsingh Deonarine could be considered the best 3 middle order batsmen in the region.
All-rounder Chris Barnwell and ODI player Royston Crandon can also produce with the bat while Delbert Hicks, who had a poor game behind the stumps in the semi-final win against CCC, Esuan Crandon, Veerasammy Permaul and Davendra Bishoo could also bat.
With victories over the Leeward Islands, Barbados and CCC, the Guyanese have had more cricket here than any other team despite their washed out game against the TCLG West Indies U-19 team and Deonarine is the only centurion and the tournament’s leading scorer, while Chanderpaul and Sarwan looked close to top form in their last game.
T&T, hunting their 10th regional title, have been on a roll since beating Barbados at Providence in last year’s final and today they could face their toughest Test in the competition after beating Jamaica in the opening round and Barbados in the semis.
Two washed out games have robbed T&T of match practice but once their openers- Adrian Barath and Lindl Simmons- get going on the lightning fast outfield and get support from the talented Daren Bravo, his brother Dwayne, Ganga and his brother Sherwin, Denish Ramdin, the pugnacious Keiron Pollard, Samuel Badree and Dave Mohamed, T&T, the only team to score 400 in a regional One-Day game (409 vs N/Windwards in 2001) could post a big total today.
Ravi Rampaul will want to celebrate his Test call-up with inspired fast bowling while Dwayne Bravo, Simmons and Pollard could offer valuable medium pace support.
Leg-spinner Badree could share the new ball with Rampaul while Mohamed and Sherwin Ganga should offer spin support.
Admission is $500 and NCN Radio will be one of 13 regional stations to carry the live broadcast of what should be a pulsating final.
Teams:- Guyana: Ramnaresh Sarwan (Captain), Sewnarine Chattergoon, Travis Dowlin, Narsingh Deonarine, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Royston Crandon, Chris Barnwell, Esuan Crandon, Delbert Hicks, Davendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Deon Ferrier, Assad Fudadin, Trevon Garraway
T&T: Daren Ganga (captain), Adrian Barath, William Perkins, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Kieron Pollard, Ravi Rampaul, Dave Mohammed, Navin Stewart, Samuel Badree, Imran Khan, Sherwin Ganga.

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Battle of the heavyweights at Providence today

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