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Team name changed to Guyana Amazon Jaguars
‘Players should be responsible for their fitness’ says Sarwan
By Sean Devers
Kaieteur News – Because of issues involving the Guyana Cricket Inc (GCI) which have reached the Courts, new president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Bissoondyal Singh, disclosed that because the Guyana Jaguars Franchise is owned by the GGI, under the previous administration, the Guyana Jaguars has been changed to Guyana Amazon Jaguars.
Ramnaresh Sarwan
This, among several other issues was dealt with yesterday at the Grand Coastal Hotel on the East Coast when the GCB held its inaugural press conference since they assumed office eight months ago.
Four of the 14 executives were absent yesterday including Chairman of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) selectors Roger Harper and Chairman of Guyana’s National Youth selectors.
The just over two-hour interactive press conference was held in modern and technological friendly Conference Centre of the upscale Hotel.
The 41-year-old former Guyana and West Indies Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, addressed the gathering which included GCB staff members and the Media, vie zoom from Florida, and disclosed that he and fellow national senior selectors Albert Smith, Peter Persaud and Otto Christiani had agreed on number of the changes for the National team.
Tevin Imalach
While the CWI’s requirement to pass their fitness was achieving at least 40 on the YO-YO test, the GCB test would move up to 45.
“This is to ensure that when our players get to West Indies level it would easy to pass their fitness test since will be fitter.
Players should take personal responsibility for their fittness. The four-day players are better in this regard to those who focus on T20 cricket.
Still the youngest West Indian to play first-Class cricket after making his debut for Guyana against Barbados in the Red Stripe Cup of 1995-96 at the age of 15, Sarwan says there must be a way to encourage players to want to be in all formats.
The stylish right-hander, who retired from cricket in 2016 after playing 87 Tests, 181 ODIs, 18 T20Is, 220 First-Class, 265 List ‘A’and 77 T20s, spoke about plans for leadership succession.
While Leon Johnson is very good leader and has won five out the six first-class seasons, the left-hander is now 34, someone needs to be groomed to take over from him when he goes.
Sarwan says that while Johnson is a good leader he needs to lead from the front with the bat with more runs on a consistent basis.
Matthew Nandu
“We have won five tournaments that have not been producing outstanding International players, who not only make the team and remain in due to their consistent performances. We need our players to be averaging at least 40 at international level,” said Sarwan who, averaged above 40 in both Test and ODIs.
“We have not had much cricket to play because of the Covid-19 pandemic so we have got to pick a squad based on experience but our major concerns have been the batting…the bowling has been quite good but changes in the batting will be made.
We have to give young players a chance to get exposure even if they does not make the final XI he must be in the squad…we have already identified three players,” said Sarwan, the proprietor of the Amazonia Mall.
When pressed for names, Sarwan, who hails from the Essequibo Island of Wakenaam, said West Indies U-19 off-spinning all-rounder and batsmen Tevin Imlach and Barbican Kevlon Anderson as those identified.
Kevlon Anderson (Getty Images)
The scaled down first-Class season has been reduced from 10 to five matches and is scheduled to commence on February 20 with the newly branded Guyana Amazon Jaguars playing their first three games away from home.
“We should commence preparation for that tournament on December 6 and should have two practice matches. We have our core players but if any young players outside those, we are looking at outstanding performances, they could be selected,” Sarwan, who scored his maiden Test century in 2003 against Bangladesh at Dhaka.
Sarwan explained while the selectors want to mix youth with experience, those young players will be selected because it is believed that they can contribute with the bat or ball.
“The most important goal is winning but we want a balanced team…having Raymond Reifer from Barbados meant we had three fast bowling all-rounders and that disrupted the balance of the team,” said Sarwan who reiterated that the main worry is the batting.
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