Carib/Pepsi Big Smash t20 Final today at Albion…Pitbulls, President’s X1 battle for $1 Million 1st prize

Dec 04, 2011 Sports

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By Sean Devers
The much anticipated final of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Carib/Pepsi Big Smash t20 cricket competition is set for Albion in Berbice today and the cream of Guyana’s cricketers will be on show during the day’s double header.
The Presidents X1 are a surprise finalist but they have played consistent cricket throughout the tournament and although rain helped them get past favourites Church’s Chicken Corentyne Titans in the semifinal at Bourda, they had the Berbicians in trouble with both of the Test players dismissed and fully deserve their spot in today.
The Gizmos & Gadgets Georgetown Pitbulls could feel they have one hand on the one million dollar first prize but the young Vishaul Singh led President’s X1 team is on a high and if the city side shows complacency in Region Six, another upset could occur today.
The all-Berbice third place play-off could also be a riveting affair since the Corentyne Titans will want to avenge their first round defeat to Mario Pizza’s West Berbice. The cricket politics between West and East Berbice should also add to the competitiveness of today’s 09:00hrs encounter.
The final commences at 13:00hrs and admission is $500, while children get in free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate. Both Carib and DDL will provide well stocked bars at the venue and with Berbicians not as involved in the post elections issues as those in Georgetown, a large crowd is expected.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul is still not fully fit, while Ramnaresh Sarwan’s return to Guyana has been delayed until next week and they will both be unavailable for the Pitbulls today.
However, the City side is still a powerful one and includes West Indies t20 players Chris Barnwell and Derwin Christian while the top order of Trevon Griffith, Rajendra Chandrika, Shemroy Barrington and Leon Johnson are all shot-makers.
Steven Jacobs has become Guyana’s most reliable all-rounder in recent times with his controlled off-spin and sensible middle-order batting and he could be a match winner today at Albion.
Deon Ferrier is another versatile all-rounder who took three important wickets with his off-spin in the semis, while the biggest threat for the President’s X1 could be left-arm unorthodox spinner Totaram Bishun.
Bishun is the only bowler with a five-wicket haul in the competition. He had four scalps in the semifinal and should get support from Barnwell, Kellon Carmichael and the spinners.
Elton Baker is one of only two batsmen to score a century in the competition and a lot will depend on his work at the top of the order along with Norman Fredericks for the President’s X1.
The level-headed approach of Vishaul Singh, one of the better improvisers with the cricket bat in Guyana, could also be crucial for the President’s X1, while Delon Heyliger could hit the ball a long way if ‘on song’ while Jeetendra Sookdeo, Renrick Batson, Zaheer Mohamed, Eon Hooper and Jason Sinclair could also contribute with the bat.
Hooper rocked the Corentyne Titans’ top order in the semifinal while Sinclair has been the best performer behind the stumps in this competition and if they play to their full potential today the President’s X1 should provide a stern contest for the Pitbulls.
Lively pacer Ronsford Beaton and his West Indies under-19 team mate leg-spinner Amir Khan along with Mohamed, Hooper and Heyliger form a capable bowling attack for the President’s X1 and if they bat first and post a challenging total a ‘tight’ finish could be expected.
West Indies ‘A’ team captain Veerasammy is back for the Corentyne side although Test leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo is still injured, while in Sewnarine Chattergoon, already with a century to his name in the competition, Narsingh Deonarine, Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Rajiv Ivan, Clinton Pestano and Anthony Bramble give the Titans a strong team.
Jonathon Foo missed the semifinals due to a ban imposed on him by his club Albion for disciplinary reasons but that ban has now been lifted and if he is selected today his power-hitting in the middle order will had more firepower to an already strong batting Corentyne Titans line-up.
West Berbice will depend on the dashing Richard Ramdeen, Keith Fraser, Eon Abel and Karamdat Bissoondyal to give them a challenging total, while Test Pacer Brendon Bess and First-Class quickie Keon Joseph will want some early wickets with the new ball for off-spinner Krisendat Ramoo and company to build on for the Region Five line-up.
The Guyana t20 training squad should be named after today’s final to begin preparations for the 2012 Caribbean Cup t20 tournament set for Trinidad and Barbados from January 9-23.

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