National U-19s Inter County showing accentuates standard at Regional level

Sep 19, 2014 Sports

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By Sean Devers
Double Regional Under-19 cricket champions Guyana were expected to be very competitive in recently concluded Senior Inter County 50-overs cricket competition and the decision to have them compete with three County teams was seen by many as a master stroke by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).
Hopes were high for the teenagers to even win the title since they had dominated this year’s Regional Under-19 series in Guyana playing unbeaten in both 50-over and three-day formats.
This was the first time that any National team was playing in an Inter County tournament and a riveting contest was anticipated when they made their debut against Berbice.
But the youngsters were brought crashing down to earth with a crushing defeat to the team from the Ancient County which made 278 then bowled them out for 173 despite 47 from all rounder Kemo Paul who was hammered for 63 runs from his 10 overs when he bowled.
Worse was yet to come for the National Colts when they came up against Essequibo, considered the weakest team in the competition. Opener Kevin Boodie scored the first ever double century in the competition with a shot filled 217 to lift his team to an Inter County record 386-8 before dismissing the Youth team for 157 despite Taignarine Chanderpaul’s 46.
Paul, who is a leading player for Essequibo, was pounded for 90 off his seven overs as records tumbled in that match. With their confidence splattered on the floor the U-19s won the toss at Bourda and experienced their worst batting performance yet, being bundled out for 125; only wicketkeeper Kemol Savory with a 70-ball 51 reached double figures.
Demerara responded with 127-3 to win the contest in convincing fashion to emphasize the low standard of the Regional U-19 tournament which I have already publicly stated was the worst such competition I have seen since I first watched a tournament at this level in 1985 when Carl Hooper’s all round brilliance led Guyana to championship honors.
I have played in three Regional U-19 tournaments and have covered this level of cricket since 1992 when the tournament was played at home. I speak with some authority when I say there was nobody that I saw this year, maybe except Guyana’s Chanderpaul and Trinidad & Tobago’s Jeremy Solozano that could become a success story at Test level.
Chanderpaul and Shemron Hetymer, both First-Class players, have played for the West Indies U-19 and scored a century each in the U-19 three-day format but while Chanderpaul, the 18-year-old son of Veteran Test batsman Shiv Chanderpaul has all the assets (good technique, sound temperament & the ability to score on both sides of the wicket) he is yet to make a First-Class fifty.
Hetymer has all the shots and is very aggressive but needs to work on his shot selection or else even if he progresses to the next level, his career could be limited to just T20s and ODIs. Paul has another year in U-19 and is a promising talent but needs to work harder as a bowler if he wants to be a genuine all rounder at the senior level.
Savory can bat, he looked the best wicketkeeper on show in the Regional tournament this year and at a time when Guyana is struggling to produce good keepers he should be taken in hand and worked with before he, like so many other young cricketers is lost to Guyana’s cricket for various reasons.
The West Indies have won only 17 of their 100 Test matches and this is the easiest period for players to break into the Regional side but they must take a leaf out of Shiv Chanderpaul’s book and show commitment, dedication and the willingness to work hard at their game. Unfortunately, not many youths have these qualities and the poor showing in the senior Inter County tournament must now rate as one of the GCB’s biggest disappoints for the year.
The National Colts have been replaced by the GCB Rest Team for the four day competition. But all is not dome and gloom for our next generation of players since only this month representatives of the GCB and WICB met with Sports Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony to discuss the National School Cricket League. The League is proposed to be a joint WICB/GCB/GOG venture.
The League came about to fill the gap existing in school cricket. According to him, a research by the WICB found that almost 75% of member territories had significant gaps in their development pathway between age groups, which encourage later development of cricketing skill sets.
Instead of the youth players grasping the fundamentals of the game at ages 7-13, it is now done until ages 14-17, especially as it relates to hard ball cricket.
The GCB is working on bringing in Lethem and North West soon and it is hoped that this programme will create a reliable feeder system for Guyana’s club cricket. Dr. Anthony welcomed the initiative and was of the opinion that when all the schools are staffed with a Physical Education Specialist all the National Sporting disciplines can benefit.

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