Guyana Amazon Conquerors ready to roar in S/Africa

Sep 06, 2010 Sports

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K/News only regional Media to be present

Guyana’s toughest cricketing assignment since they lost to Barbados in the Region’s first ever First-Class match in 1865 starts in South Africa on Sunday when they face Royal Bangalore Challengers in their opening Champions League T/20 clash. They leave Guyana today at 08:30hrs.
Sponsored by the Guyana Government as the Guyana Amazon Conquerors, the national team will look to emulate the unbeaten showing until the final by Trinidad and Tobago in last years competition is India, and the Ramnaresh Sarwan side, once they play to their full potential and don’t get ‘stage fright’ against the big name players with massive crowds watching, they are capable of surprising the world as T&T did in India.

Sarwan is an astute captain and a leader who gets his players to rally around him and once he, Narsingh Deonarine and Travis Dowlin bat consistently well and teenage sensation Jonathon Foo, Chris Barnwell and Royston Crandon fires at the ‘death’ Guyana should do well.
While the fast bouncy pitches should be a worry for batsmen who grew up on slow low tracks, Guyana’s first four batsmen (if Sewnarine Chattergoon opens) have all played cricket at the highest level. Mental strength will be the key, especially for the younger players who will come up against International stars they have only seen before on TV.
Wicketkeeper Derwin Christian aggressive approach and the versatility of Lennox Cush, who made a century for the USA in last month’s ICC Division 4 final in Italy, give Guyana options at the top of the order while a lot will be expected from leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo and the experienced Cush with the ball.
While the bowling is not as strong as the batting, Esuan Crandon and Chris Barnwell will need to be consistent with their length and not get ‘carried away’ with the extra pace and bounce while the off-spin of Steven Jacobs could be a useful option if Christian opens and Chattergoon does not play. Part-time spinner Royston will also need to vary his pace and not bowl too fast.
Guyana played wonderful team cricket in the Caribbean Championships and once they keep their nerve and field well, especially in the Day/Night games they have every chance of advancing to the semi-finals. It will be hard work but it could be done. Not many gave T&T any chance before last year’s competition began and T&T wonderful run in India should be used to inspire the South Americans who beat T&T in the Caribbean Championships semis and again in the last of two practice matches in Guyana before they left for Africa.
The team has received tremendous support from Guyanese at home and abroad and Roger Harper’s involvement in their recent preparations would have been a tremendous boost.
The desire by Sarwan to show the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and their selectors that he is fit and still among the classiest batsmen in world cricket after his shocking removal from the Contract list, could also work in Guyana’s favour.
This is the greatest opportunity to show case Guyana as a country on the world stage and the Government has wisely jumped at the chance to promote Guyana as an eco-tourism paradise while history will be made as Guyana makes its debut at an International cricket event.
Kaieteur News will be the only Caribbean Media house in South Africa to report as action unfolds providing photographs, news, views and interviews from the Rainbow Nation for the its readers in Guyana.
International Cricket Broadcaster and Kaieteur News’ cricket journalist Sean Devers, the only Guyanese journalist present when Guyana won the Caribbean Championships in Trinidad, will leave Guyana tomorrow for the long trip to South Africa and will also send reports for the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
“This is a massive tournament for Guyana and while I would have hoped that more Guyanese or Caribbean journalists would have been going to cover something so important, not only for Guyana’s cricket but for Guyana as a nation, I am honoured to be a part of history and I am sure Kaieteur News’ readership will increase for the next two weeks, especially on the internet as Guyanese all over the world follow what their team is doing in South Africa,” Devers said.

Devers’ trip to South Africa cost approximately $1.6 Million and several companies have collaborated to ensure Kaieteur News is able to cover the CLT20 from Africa.
Local cell phone giants Digicel and Carib Beer have renewed their long standing sponsorship of Devers, while Leisure Inn and Car Rentals, Igloo Ice-Cream, Dave’s West Indian Groceries in New York, Forest Enterprise, Wartsila Inc, Universal DVD Club & Candle Light Gift Shop have also contributed to Kaieteur News’ presence in South Africa.
On September 12 from 11:30hrs (Guy time) Guyana play Royal Challengers Bangalore before facing Mumbai Indians on September 16 at 11:30hrs, Highveldt Lions on September 19 from 07:30hrs and South Australian Red Backs on September 21 from 07:30hrs.

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