Excitement galore expected today at Providence in Digicel 20/20 semis

Jul 09, 2010 Sports

---

By Sean Devers

The Guyana National Stadium should be a hive of activity from 15:00hrs today when the semi-finals of the Digicel Summer Splash national 20/20 cricket competition bowls-off with the 2 semi-finals.
With the second semi-final scheduled to be contested under floodlights from 19:00hrs and admission just $500, a large crowd is expected to flock the ground after work today for what should be a Friday evening of fun, frolic and action-packed cricket.
Georgetown Flex Text battle East Coast Flex Check in the first semi-final before Upper Corentyne Free Weekend face-off with New Amsterdam Free Credit in an all-Berbice semi-final.
The winners will battle for championship honours in the final tomorrow and with most of the country’s leading cricketers on show and places in the national 20/20 squad up for grabs, excitement galore is expected today at Providence.
The transfer system allows the best players to be involved in the ‘final four’ even if the team they originally represented failed to qualify for the semi-finals.
This competition also presents fringe players who might not have been given the opportunity to showcase their 20/20 ability in the Inter-County competition, a chance to vie for national selection.
Berbice off-spinner Krishnadat Ramoo, who also bowled well and captured the scalps of Chris Gayle and Lindl Simmons in the DJ Stress 20/20 Festival, is now a serious contender of a senior team call-up.
The experienced Lennox Cush is a perfect example of a freelance 20/20 player cashing in on his ability to produce 4 ‘tight’ overs of off-spin and some aggressive batting and his transfer from West Demerara side Cavaliers who had a poor tournament, gives his new team East Coast more fire-power.
Fellow Cavaliers players Gajanand Singh and Paul Wintz have also been transferred to East Coast giving them a wonderful chance of upsetting Georgetown, who appeared to lack unity in the DJ Stress competition.
Ramnaresh Sarwan is not yet fully recovered from injury while Shiv Chanderpaul is unavailable due to English cricket commitments and Georgetown will rely on the experience of Travis Dowlin to lead their batting today.
Dowlin is one of only two Guyanese with 100 Regional 20/20 runs and is a real threat in this format as he showed in the Stanford 20/20 competitions in which Guyana lost just once in 7 games in two tournaments.
West Indies under-19 opener Trevon Griffith is known for his pugnacious approach at the top of the order while Deon Ferrier brings commitment and energy to the team and is a key player in any 20/20 format.
Leon Johnson, Ravi Sarwan, Steven Jacobs, Chris Barnwell, Troy Gonsalves, Abilash Dookie, Kellon Carmichael and Shemroy Barrington give Georgetown a strong batting line-up on paper.
Apart from Cush, Singh and Wintz, Tyrell Tull, arguable the most naturally talented keeper in Guyana, is also in the East Coast line-up along with Test batsman Ryan Ramdass and first-class player Zaheer Mohamed.
The versatile Clive Andries (who has represented Guyana in both cricket and Football), Wasim Haslim, Chris Patandin and Krishna Deosarran give East Coast a fighting unit.
While cricket in the City is more structured and full of talent, the Berbice players seem not as consumed by the off-the-field distractions as many of their Georgetown counterparts, who at times give the impression that personal glory and appearance are more important than results and team work.
The all-Berbice semi-final should be a keen tussle with the Upper Corentyne side boasting plenty of batting artillery in Sewnarine Chattergoon, Richard Ramdeen, Devon Clements, Jonathon Foo, Royston Crandon, Delbert Hicks, Ranga Latchana, Homchand Pooran and Rajiv Ivan.
Ramoo and Davendra Bishoo gives the Berbicians, who won the DJ Stress Festival by beating the star-studded Cavaliers in the final, the spin pair which will probably be used by Guyana in the Regional 20/20 series.
The New Amsterdam side is a ‘second string’ Berbice side and will depend on the batting of Anthony D’Andrade, Romain Boodram, Renwick Batson, Riad Ally, Sasenarine Sukhdeo and former Guyana under-19 Keeper Anthony Bramble, Eugene LaFluer and Eon Hooper.
Keyron Fraser and Kellon Henry should lead the pace attack for the NA line-up on what should be a slow track and fast outfield.
Pound for pound, Georgetown has the best team. But 20/20 cricket is all about team cricket, passion and commitment and it would not be surprising if East Coast and Upper Corentyne advance to the final.
Teams: G/Town Flex Text:-C Barnwell, T Dowlin, T Griffith, L Johnson, Ravi Sarwan, D Christian, S Jacobs, D Ferrier, Troy Gonsalves, Abilash Dookie, Kellon Carmichael, T Garraway, Damion Van Tull, S Barrington, Totaram Bishun
EAST COAST FLEX CHECK: L Cush, C Pattadin, Gajanand Singh, Paul Wintz, Ryan Ramdass, Wasim Haslim, Tyrell Tull, Vishnu Ramjit, Zaheer Mohammed, Clive Andries, Suresh Budhu, Ravi Singh, Imran Khan, Videsh Lall, Darron Peters, Surijpaul Deosarran
Upper Corentyne Free Weekend: S Chattergoon, R Ramdeen, J Foo, R Crandon, Ranga Latchana, D Hicks, H Pooran, Devon Clements, Krishnadat Ramoo, D Bishoo, S Latcha, Rajiv Ivan, M Newland, Harrinarine Yogewshar
New Amsterdam Free Credit: Romain Boodram, Renwick Batson, Anthony D’Andrade, Riad Ally, Sasenarine Sukhdeo, Anthony Bramble, Sherwin Murray, Eon Hooper, Troy Matheson, Keyron Fraser, Eugene LaFluer, Davendra Thakurdeen, Jason Sinclair, Kellon Henry

---

---