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Can Guyana land its first U17 title this year?
By Zaheer Mohamed
The U17 trophy is only title that has eluded Guyana at the Regional age group level.
Alex Algoo
Fielding arguably the strongest team in last year’s tournament, Guyana were favourites to win the title, but rain put a halt to their quest after their last game against host Trinidad and Tobago was completely washed out.
The Guyanese then had to settle for the runner up spot behind the host nation who finished with 20.6 points, while Guyana ended on 20.3. Guyana played unbeaten throughout the tournament, but Trinidad and Tobago’s success was largely due to the 0.3 fast bowling bonus points they gained more than their closest rivals.
Bhaskar Yadram and Joshua Persaud have since graduated to the West Indies U19 team, while Ashmead Nedd, Kevlon Anderson, Sachin Singh and Kevin Omroa still have another year at this level.
These players have brought Guyana glory at the U15 level and have done well at the inter-county tournament this year. With the current crop of players available in the pool, Guyana can be deemed favourites to win the tournament, but their success will depend on how well they play as a unit.
All-rounder Nedd is the most experienced player and should be named captain, while Kevlon Anderson is likely to be his deputy. While Sachin Singh, Alphius Bookie, Orlando Jailall and Pradesh Balkishun add strength to the team’s batting, many will be looking at how well Anderson and new find Alex Algoo perform on the surfaces overseas.
No Doubt these two players are match winners – Anderson scored a century against Essequibo in the recently concluded Hand-in-Hand U19 tournament, while his fellow Berbician Algoo, who opens the batting, was the leading batsman in the U17 competition this year.
Anderson has displayed tremendous powers of concentration, while Algoo is one of the hardest hitters of the ball, and a lot will depend on them. Sachin Singh and Alphius Bookie have been out of form recently, but while form is temporary, class is permanent; they have proven in the past that they can rise to the occasion when it matters most. Singh played for Guyana in last year’s regional U19 competition and another good year at the U17 level can land him a spot in the U19 tournament this year.
Fast bowler Reyaz Khan and spinner Kevin Umroa are dangerous players, while Nedd and Balkishun are capable all-rounders. While the adverse weather have restricted their preparation somewhat, as long as these players play together, stick to the basics and adopt the acronym KISS (keep it super simple), they can give their fans much to shout about. Without doubt they have what it takes to bring back glory.
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