Latest update November 15th, 2024 1:00 AM
Paul replaces Barnwell; Griffith says Guyana team not short of practice
By Sean Devers
Manager of the Guyana Jaguars cricket team Rayon Griffith says despite the adverse
Vishaul Singh missed the Supper50 but is one of the most dependable batsmen in the First-Class team.
weather, the National side is not short of practice heading into the second half of the Digicel Regional First-Class tournament, since they have been practicing at the indoor facility at LBI and the concrete surface at GYO in Woolford Avenue.
The Jaguars have made one change from the team that played in the first half of the tournament with West Indies U-19 Vice-Captain Keemo Paul replacing Christopher Barnwell. The team leaves for Jamaica on Tuesday where they face the Scorpions from Friday before traveling to Trinidad and Barbados.
The Jaguars return home for their last two matches after the completion of the three-match Pakistan ODI series in Guyana from April 7-11. Despite having their practice match washed out last week, Griffith explained that many of the 50 overs players are also in the four-day team and would have had match practice in this year’s Regional Super50 tournament in Barbados.
”Since we returned for Barbados we have had net sessions at the indoor practice facility at LBI and the batsmen have been facing the bowling machine on the concrete pitches at GYO so I won’t say the team is short of practice” the former Guyana pacer said during yesterday’s session at GYO.
”The surface here (concrete) is ideal preparation for the harder pitches that we are expected to play on, in our three overseas games” Griffith added.
However, a source in Jamaica informed that the pitches at Sabina Park have been dug up and Guyana’s sixth round game has been shifted to Chedwin Park where the track is more favorable to spin.
While the Jaguars finished second in the first half of the tournament on 64.6 points, 3.2 points behind leaders Jamaica Scorpions, the two-time defending Champions were not as convincing as they were in the previous two seasons. Barbados (47.2), Windwards (41.6), Leewards (40.4) and T&T (35.6) follow in that order in the points standings.
The Jaguars have only won two of their five matches this season in which their 18-match unbeaten streak was broken in St Kitts when the Leewards Hurricanes successfully chased down a 33-year-old record 369 to win after a sporting declaration on the tiny Warner Park left them to get the runs in 115 overs.
Everyone in the Jaguars’ top seven has scored fifties but only Shiv Chanderpaul, the oldest player in the tournament, converted his into centuries. Chanderpaul who made 91 against Jamaica in the opening round at Providence and 81 not out against the Leewards Hurricanes before getting an even 100 against Barbados and 143 against T&T’s Red Force, is the only Jaguars’ batsman with 300 runs (447).
Jamal Hamilton, the leading run-scorer with 485 runs and Chanderpaul are the only batsmen with two centuries. The inability to turn good starts into hundreds was a reason Guyana failed to get more batting points; while shot selection when well set and the number of catches dropped should also be areas of concern. Griffith indicated that the team has been working to improve those aspects.
Jaguars squad: Taignarine Chanderpaul, Shemron Hetymer, Leon Johnson (Captain), Vishaul Singh, Shiv Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Romario Shepherd, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Keon Joseph, Rajendra Chandrika, Kemo Paul.
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