Guyana’s Cricket Review (Part 2)….Guyana U-19s take ‘Double’, U-19 Girls win T20 Title

Jan 04, 2018 Sports

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E’bo capture first National title

By Sean Devers
Guyana under-19 team won both the Regional 50 over and Three-Day tournaments in St Kitts while this Country’s U-19 Girls took their maiden Regional T20 tournament in the Twin Island Republic.

On the local front the smiles on the faces of Essequibo’s cricket fans were a broad as the mighty Essequibo River as they celebrated their County’s first National Senior Title win when their team, previously regarded as the whipping boys of local cricket, played unbeaten to lift to GCB three-day Franchise league Trophy on October 15 at the Tuschen ground in East Bank Essequibo.
At the play-off stage of the GCB 50-over Franchise League Essequibo were in the lead as Coaches Ryan Hercules and Michael Franco have orchestrated a complete turn-around although their only Franchise player Shiv Chanderpaul did not played many matches but has played a big role in the dressing room.
GCB three-day Franchise League
An ecstatic Essequibo team, led by their skipper and tournament leading wicket-taker Anthony Adams, joyously lifted the Trophy following seven rounds of brilliantly executed team cricket.
Sterling performances from Captain Adams, their Franchise player Shiv Chanderpaul, leading run scorer Ricardo Adams, Kemo Paul and wicket-keeper batsman Kemol Savory ensured Essequibo ended with 88 points, 9.2 more than runners-up, Upper Corentyne.
Essequibo defeated defending champions Lower Corentyne in the opening round and maintained their lead with outright victories over West Berbice, Georgetown and Upper Corentyne, while drawing against Upper Demerara/ East Bank, East Coast Demerara and West Demerara.
Left arm spinner Adams, collected the MVP tournament award after ending with 52 wickets and 260 runs including a century to climax a remarkable Tournament. His efforts gained him selection in Jaguars squad for their final match for 2017 against the Leewards at Providence but did not make the final X1.
GCB 50 over Franchise League:
Essequibo are well set to take the ‘double’ since they have already qualified for the final. Unbeaten in the preliminary round and they sit top of the points table with 39 points.
The play-offs and Final of the 50 Overs League are scheduled to be played this year and will see action between the second and third placed teams on the points table at the end of seven preliminary rounds.
Georgetown earned second place by virtue of the better Net Run Rate over West Demerara. Both Georgetown and West Demerara aggregated an equal number of wins (two) and points (26) at the end of the final preliminary round, with Georgetown ending with a NRR of – 0.34 and West Demerara – 0.36.
Leon Johnson will lead Georgetown which is expected to include Christopher Barnwell, Robin Bacchus, Paul Wintz and Travis Blyden. Lower Corentyne should have the services of Jonathan Foo, Royston Crandon, Kevlon Anderson, Nial Smith and Raun Johnson.
The Franchise League replaced the Inter-County tournament and the players are paid $5,000 per day for each match and the tournament is supposed to be used to pick the National senior teams. A T20 League will be played this year.
This is the third edition and it was hoped that sponsors would have come on board for each Franchise. The introduction of the Franchise tournament is a great concept by the GCB who should allow each area Association to select their own team since some good players are being omitted.
The overall standard continues to be below par with most of the pitches being of a poor quality and the outfields rough.
Tuschen, Imam Bacchus on the Essequibo Coast and Young Warriors in Canje Berbice have the best pitches, while the Imam Bacchus ground has the best outfield in Guyana including the Providence Stadium which has deteriorated in the last year.
Regional U-19 Three-day:

During the school holiday in July/August in St Kitts, the Guyana U-19s did what their senior counterparts failed to do and returned home with the coveted Double, winning both the three-day and 50 overs titles.
The Renaldo Ali-Mohamed led team was greeted at the airport by Sports Minister Dr. George Norton and Director of Sports Christopher Jones.
Guyana had surrendered their three-day title to Leeward Islands in 2016 and won four of their five matches with their other game ending in a draw to Barbados.
In a crucial final round game, Guyana beat eventual runners-up Jamaica by nine wickets. Set a victory target of 77 on the last day, Guyana reached 80-1 with Raymond Perez unbeaten on 44. Ramnarine Chatura ended with 270 runs from five innings and three half centuries, while Perez (241) and Kevin St Clair (234) reached 200 runs, while Kevlon Anderson made 185 runs.
Left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd (26), Ali-Mohamed (18), Sinclair (13) and Richie Looknauth (11) were Guyana’s leading wicket takers.
Coach Julian Moore, a former Guyana U-15 batsman, got the best from his charges who displayed wonderful team work and followed-up their three-day win by successfully defending their 50-overs which they have held since Brian Sattuar led Guyana to its first 50 overs title in 2014 on home soil.
Regional 50-over U-19:
The three-times defending Champions were led by Perez with 348 runs including four half-centuries and three not outs, to average 116 from six innings, while Persaud was again among the runs with 214. Sinclair and Anderson, the youngest player in the team, also got fifties.
The 17-year-old Bhaskar Yadram, known more for his batting had the most wickets (17), while Need had 10 scalps.
Guyana played unbeaten and faced unbeaten Trinidad & Tobago in the penultimate round and won by eight wickets.
T&T were bowled out for 110 with Kristen Kallicharran hitting a classy 48 as Guyana spin quartet of Yadram (3-19) and Nedd, Looknauth and Keshram Seyhodan with two wickets each.
The Guyanese then reached 111-2 with Persaud making 44 and Perez left unbeaten three away from his fifth fifty.
Guyana then defeated the Windwards by six runs with Perez stroking a shot filled 77 and Persaud making 40.
Ali-Mohamed, Perez, Persaud, Yadram and Nedd were all selected on the West Indies U-19 team for next month’s Youth World.
Female U-19 T20:

The Regional U-19 female T20 is held annually in Trinidad and Tobago in August and Guyana won their first ever title when they defeated host Country by seven wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis system in the final at the National Cricket Centre.
Trinidad and Tobago were restricted to 94- 9 wickets off their allotted 20 overs with Skipper Reniece Boyce making 33. Guyana’s best two spinners then went to work as Plaffianna Millington (4-17) and Mandy Mangru (2-8) confused the Trini lasses.
Guyana in reply after given a revised target of 86 runs to win from 18 overs due to rain, reached their target off 17.2 overs, losing three wickets in the process. Mangru returned to produce a wonderful batting performance, scoring 34 and got support from Guyana’s skipper Shabika Gajnabi, who was unbeaten with 20.
Guyana reached the finals having played unbeaten throughout the preliminary matches and ended at the top of the points table along with Trinidad and Tobago.
Senior Women’s Regional Super 50:
Guyana endured their worst ever performance in years in St. Vincent. The Guyanese ladies lost four of their five games with their win being by seven wickets against Leeward Islands.
U-17 Regional 50 Overs:
In a tournament of six teams, Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Leeward Islands and Windward Islands, Guyana finished in fifth position, while Trinidad and Tobago retained the title.
Regional 50 over U-15:
Barbados won the 2017 Regional 50-over U-15 tournament on home soil. Despite some good all-round performances from Essequibian Sheldon Charles Guyana ended in third position, while Leewards Islands finished second.
Domestic Competitions:
GCB/Dave West Indies Export Guyana NY
50 Overs U-15
Berbice dethroned Demerara on Sunday March 19 when they achieved a five-wicket win at Bourda in the final.
Demerara were bundled out for 90 in 44.5 overs with Movindra Dindyal top scoring with 24 as Mahendra Prashad had 3-14 for Berbice who reached 92 for 5 wickets with Prashad finishing 38 not out.
Andre Seepersaud took 2 for 9, while Daniel Mootoo and Daveanand Khemraj took one wicket each.
WH Rambarran/GCB Senior Female Inter
County 50 Overs
This tournament exposed lack of development programmes for female cricket in Guyana with most of players have to resort to playing softball cricket since there are no hard ball tournaments played in Essequibo and Demerara and to a lesser extent in Berbice.
Most of the Essequibians had never played cricket before this tournament which was held in February.
In the first round, Berbice, led by 50 from Melanie Henry, 47 from Sheneta Grimmond and 48 from Shemia Gajnabi, made 268 before Erva Giddings (5-9) and Tremayne Smartt (3-6) dismantled Essequibo for 15 to win by 283 runs.
Demerara defeated Essequibo by 10 wickets in the second round as Essequibo were dismissed for 20. Akaze Thompson (6-8) and Heema Singh (2-12) bowled well for Demerara, who reached 21 without loss.
In the third and final round at Bourda, Berbice defeated Demerara by 75 runs to retain the title.
Berbice made 214 for 6 off 50 overs with West Indies batter Shemaine Campbelle stroking a magnificent 101, while Katana Mentore made 54.
Demerara were 139 for 9 when their 50 overs expired as Mandy Mangru made 24 and Thompson 18. Phaffiana Millington took 2-11.
GCB/Igloo Ice-Cream U-17 Inter County 50 Overs
Berbice dethroned Demerara to be crowned the 2017 champions on Saturday 29th April after the match was called off due to persistent rain which prevented any play in the third and final round match, which was scheduled for Bourda.
Berbice won their first two (2) matches by defeating Essequibo by 115 runs and the Select Under-15 team by 9 wickets.
GCB/Hand In Hand Insurance Company 50 Overs U-19 Inter County
Demerara retained the under-19 Inter County 50 overs title with a comfortable six wicket win over the National Select Under-17 side at Providence on June 2.
The Select U-17s fell for 130 from 48.4 overs with Kevlon Anderson making 38 and Sachin Singh 24. Bhaskar Yadram (4-32), Riche Looknauth (3-20) and Renaldo Ali Mohamed (2-23) bowled well for Demerara who reached 132-4 with Renaldo Ali Mohamed was unbeaten on 53.
GCB/Hand In Hand Insurance Company U-19 Inter County 3-Day
Demerara also retained this title, ending the competition with 25.5 points, followed by Berbice with 19.7 points, Select Under-17 were third with 11.1 points and Essequibo in the cellar with 8.6 points.
Off the field controversy and Court cases was the order of day with the Berbice Cricket Board elections being deemed illegal by the Court who ordered that it is be held again this month. Demerara and Essequibo have not yet held elections.
It is also felt by some that to get more players exposed there should be two teams from Essequibo since Berbice has three and Demerara has four.
The year ended with CWI President Dave Cameron delivering the feature address at the annual GCB Awards Ceremony.

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