Bishoo’s World Cup dreams comes true

Feb 28, 2011 Sports

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Guyana will be without leg-spinner today

By Sean Devers
Any cricketer’s dream is to play against the best on the world stage and no stage is bigger than the Cricket World Cup which has been held every four years since West Indies won the inaugural tournament in 1975 by beating Australia in the first Final at Lords.
For 25-year-old Albion Leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo, his dream of playing in the World Cup is about to come true. Bishoo, who made his First-Class debut with a five wicket haul at Providence three years ago, has been named as the replacement for injured all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and should leave the Caribbean by Wednesday for India.

Bishoo left the Guyana team last evening for Berbice and will be unavailable to bowl today in the Barbados second innings of their regional four-day game against Guyana at Providence as he ‘ties up’ some loose ends for his trip.
This year ICC’s flagship event is being held in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and the West Indies, who lost their opening game to South Africa, face Netherlands in their second match this morning.
Already without Adrian Barath and Carlton Baugh due to injury, the West Indies will be without Bravo, who hurt his knee in the West Indies opening game and will miss the rest of the World Cup.
Marlon Samuels, who is enjoying a dream 2011 Regional First-Class season after serving a two-year ban for his involvement in passing on match-related information to an alleged bookie ahead of an ODI against India, seemed the popular choice to replace Bravo.
However, it is understood that because the Jamaican was not among the 30 short listed by the West Indies he cannot be now selected as a replacement player.
Bishoo, who has taken 86 wickets for Guyana from 21 matches and 18 from seven Regional One-day games, was selected for three ‘A’ team One-Day ‘Internationals’ against Pakistan ‘A’ in November last year. Bishoo impressed with seven wickets in those matches to stake a claim for World Cup selection but was not selected in the touring party as the selectors opted to pick two left-arm spinners in Nikita Miller and Suleiman Benn.
Bishoo’s three wickets against Mumbai Indians, including that of Sachin Tendulkar, having him stumped, when Guyana played in last year’s Champion’s League T20 tournament in South Africa impressed Tendulkar who presented the Berbician with an autographed ‘match ball’ after the game and advertised Bishoo ability against top class batsmen to spin bowling.
After not being selected for the World Cup Bishoo captured seven wickets in Guyana’s first match in this year’s regional First-Class competition against Jamaica before taking eight, including a five-wicket haul against the Windwards in St Vincent.
His 4-61 against Barbados yesterday helped Guyana to enter today’s final day with a chance of their first win against Barbados in Guyana in 27 years and while his spin will be missed today for Guyana, his belated selection will strengthen the weak West Indies bowling attack on pitches with assistance for the spinners.
The crafty leg-spinner who has also troubled batsmen in Regional T20 cricket, first played for Guyana in the 2003 in Guyana and his level-headed batting as night watchman during last year’s regional First Class tournament shows he can also develop into a capable all-rounder.
Bishoo will arrive in India by Thursday for the West Indies’ third match against Ireland on March 11.  The Caribbean side will oppose England (March 17) and India (March 20) in their other first round games.
Bishoo told Kaieteur Sport yesterday before he knew of his selection that he was enjoying his bowling in the four day competition and getting better as the competition progressed.
“I was bowling a bit too flat in the first game but with the more games we (Guyana) play I am bowling better and flighting and spinning the ball more. I enjoy bowling in all forms of cricket and don’t find it too difficult to adjust,” Bishoo explained.
“I think leg-spinners should be aggressive wicket takers and not defensive bowlers so even during T20 cricket I try to take wickets although I bowl a bit flatter and quicker and use the googlie more. When I am practicing for T20 cricket I bowl like I do in the four-day game until the last round of the batsmen when I try to bowl fuller and quicker,” Bishoo said yesterday.
Bishoo joins Shiv Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Clive Lloyd, Rohan Kanhai, Alvin Kallicharran, Lance Gibbs, Roy Fredericks, Faoud Bacchus, Colin Croft, Roger Harper, Carl Hooper and Reon King as Guyanese who have attended World Cup tournaments with the West Indies team.

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