Guyana face T&T at Everest today

Jul 26, 2011 Sports

By Sean Devers

The third round of matches in this year’s Regional under-19 three-day cricket tournament is scheduled to bowl off today in Georgetown with three matches but rain, which condemned two second round matches to no-results could again be a worry.
At Everest, host Guyana, on 16.5 points, battle Trinidad and Tobago, while front runners Barbados and Jamaica face-off at the Enmore ground.
In the round’s other match at Bourda, defending Champions Windward Islands, with defeats in both of their games so far take on the Leeward Islands who were beaten by Guyana and collected four points from their last round no-result against Barbados.
Because of the new points system which give a team an extra 0.1 of a point for every wicket taken by a fast bowler, Barbados enter the third round at the top the points table since their pacers, especially Justin Greaves who took 7-40 against the Windwards, has given them an extra 1.1 points in addition to the 12 from the outright win and four from their no-result.
Jamaica are 0.7 points behind the Bajans on 16.6 points after they had a no-result against Guyana and beat T&T in their first round match.
Guyana, the most successful team in Regional youth cricket which began in 1968, traditionally rely on their spinners for success and this year is no different as they beat the Leewards and had Jamaica on 86-5 at Lunch on the final day in the only session possible in their second round clash which ended in a no-result at Bourda.
Although, like Barbados and Jamaica, the South Americans, who won the competition the last time it was played in Guyana in 2006, have a win and a no-result after two rounds they are third on the points table due to having accumulated less bonus points from their fast bowlers’ success on the slow Guyana pitches.
The Police track should provide some early life which should suite both Barbados and Jamaica and a lot is depended on Kraigg Braithwaite, the first Test player to participate in a Regional under-19 tournament.
Braithwaite’s 112 against Guyana in Barbados in 2008 is his only Regional under-19 ton and he will want to improve on his 26 and 16 in the first round, while England based Anthony Alleyne who looked the most accomplished batsman in the Barbados side with his 77 against the Windwards, Shane Parris and Mario Rampersaud will want to continue their good work with the bat for the Bajans.
Off-spinner Chaim Holder also had 7-60 on debut for Barbados who last won the title at home in 2008.
Jamaica, who also last won the title on home soil in 2009, will depend on the destructive West Indies under-19 left-hander John Campbell while Teswayne Creary, Ramon Senior and Bryan Gayle could be expected to do the bulk of the scoring for the Jamaicans whose 320 against T&T is the highest total so far this year.
Guyana’s 317-9 declared against Leewards was their first 250 plus total since 2007 and the stroke play of Chanderpaul Hemraj (88) was a delight to watch, while Skipper Kwame Crosse also scored a solid half-century. Kevin Boodie, Jomal LaFluer, Dominique Rikhi, all-rounder Clinton Pestano, Antony Adams, Amir Khan and Skipper Ronsford Beaton can all contribute with the bat while Beaton, regarded as the tournament’s quickest bowler and Pestano will share the new ball for Guyana. Khan, LaFluer, Adams and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie give the hosts a potent spin attack.
Trinidad rebounded from their first round loss to beat the Windwards by eight wickets and Akeal Hosein with half-centuries in each round so far, is the tournament’s leading batsman. He could expect support from Captain Steven Katwaroo, Savion Lara and Kieron Joseph.
Windwards’ Skipper Kavem Hodge was the outstanding all-rounder when his team won only their second ever title in St Lucia last year, while Sunil Ambris is also a competent player and pacers Ray Jordan and Larry Edwards full of talent.
But the Windwards, whose only other title was in Guyana in 2000, has not looked the part as a team so far and will want to rebound against the Leewards who have struggled on the slow Guyana pitches and seem not yet a team after having just four days together in Antigua before they traveled to Guyana.
A lot is expected from their lone West Indian under-19 player Akeem Saunders, while their burly Skipper got two 40s against Guyana and some wickets with his off-spin but he like the rest of the batsmen will need to understand that occupation of the crease and building big scores are more important in three-day cricket than smashing a few boundaries in a cameo 30 or 40.

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Guyana face T&T at Everest today

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