‘You have disappointed your supporters’ Guyana Manager tells players

Sep 23, 2010 Sports

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Carl Manager Carl Moore (left) presents a gift to South African based Guyanese Roy Symbudyal as his wife Joli and GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie (right) share the moment.

By Sean Deversin South Africa
In association with Digicel, Carib Beer,
Leisure Inn, Igloo Ice-Cream, Forest
Enterprise, CopsSecurity, the Caribbean
Market (Maryland) & Universal DVD Club

Manager of the Guyana cricket team Carl Moore told the players that they have disappointed their supporters with their performance in the Champions League T20 cricket tournament here in South Africa but feels once they have learned from the experience the trip would have been worth it.
Moore made these remarks during a speech at the residence of Guyanese Roy Symbudyal and his South African wife Zoli where the Guyana players and support staff were special guests at a farewell dinner.
High ranking South Africans officials, Guyana’s Consul to South Africa Malcolm Parris, Kaieteur News, Guyanese New York based freelance journalist Clairmont Chung, the two Canada based Guyana team supporters and two others who traveled from England were also among the specially invited guest at the highly informal function.
Since winning the Caribbean T20 Championships by beating Barbados in Trinidad last month to qualify to represent the West Indies in this competition, the Ramnaresh Sarwan led Guyana team, sponsored exclusively by the Guyana Government and named the ‘Amazon Conquerors’ has received overwhelming support from Guyanese both at home and abroad.
They were crushed by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening match and although their showing improved in the next game against Mumbai Indians, Kieron Pollard’s hurricane unbeaten 30-ball 72 condemned them to another defeat which was followed by another poor performance in the field in their crushing 9-wicket loss to Lions of South Africa last Sunday. They also lost their final match to South Australia Redbacks on Tuesday.
Moore told the gathering that although the standard of play was a lot higher than in the Caribbean the Guyanese never played to their full potential adding that he felt that the team was a much better one than the world saw in South Africa.
“It’s moments like these that you realize how much support we have not only from Guyanese at home from especially from those living outside of Guyana and it’s moments like these as I stand here in this wonderful house to thank you (the Symbudyals) for all you have done for us here that I realize how much we have disappointed our supporters, an emotional Moore said.
“When we travel around the Caribbean we are always welcomed by the many Guyanese that live in the various Islands. To know that even though we are so far away from home we can still feel so at home tonight and enjoy true Guyanese food is a wonderful feeling,” Moore added.
Moore also paid tribute to the two Guyanese from Canada and the pair who left their homes in England to offer their support to their countrymen here.
The Guyana Manager said that while the results have not been good, he believed that the exposure to the South African conditions and the higher level of cricket will be very beneficial to the young players when they return to the Caribbean to prepare for next month’s Regional One-Day competition in Jamaica.
“The conditions are so different from home…the pitches have a lot more bounce while the air is thin and the place is generally cold. So this has been a learning experience for those coming here for the first time,” Moore stated.
Several players have been affected by the climate here while both Moore and GCB President Chetram Singh, who missed the dinner due to ill health, have been not well for most of this trip.
Secretary of the GCB Anand Sanasie also thanked the host for the Guyanese food (Curry and cook-up among several other dishes) which was all cooked by Roy himself.
Roy was quick to defend the young Guyana players saying that he was far from disappointed but rather proud that of all the teams in the Caribbean it was Guyana who was in South Africa.
“We are proud that you guys won the Caribbean tournament and are representing my home country and the whole West Indies here. Because of you a lot more people now know of Guyana and when you qualify again next year you will be far better equipped to know what to expect and to make Guyana proud,” Roy said.
The Guyanese, who has lived in England for over 2 decades before residing in South Africa for the last 6 years, said he felt so overjoyed to be able to meet people from his own county who understood when he spoke in creolese.
“It is an honour for me and my wife to have the entire National team of my country in my house tonight. I am a big fan of Sarwan and it’s a privilege to meet him. Every time I have seen him before I had to pay to do so,” Roy, who also showed plenty of emotions, joked.
A tremendous fan of cricket, Roy played the game in England and is one of the Directors of a leading Mining Company in South Africa. He told the Guyanese that they have the talent but that talent alone was not enough for success.
“You guys have the talent but you need to understand that mental preparation is also very important. Out of a team which lost 5-1 to Australia in the 1970s Clive Lloyd molded a team of superstars which was almost invincible for 15 years. You did not win here but it’s important that your learnt why you lost and become better players from this experience.
Good luck and thanks for making us feel at home although we are so far away from Guyana,” Roy told the players.

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