Guyana have won all four games they have played against the Combined Campuses and Colleges and today, in their final Zone ‘A’ match in the NAGICO Super50 cricket tournament at the Queens Park Oval, which is their third consecutive Day/Night encounter, the Jaguars are aiming to roar into the semi-final with an unbeaten record.
Shiv Chanderpaul could be asked to open the batting with Rajendra Chandrika, in place of out of sorts Trevon Griffith leaving room for the inclusion Jonathon Foo, who missed the first two games against the Windwards and Barbados, due to the ‘Flu’ while seamer Paul Wintz could replace pacer Ronsford Beaton as the South American team look to give every player a ‘run’ ahead of the final-four stage of the tournament.
Chanderpaul, with scores of 1&15 is due for a big score while Raymond Reifer finally justified his ‘A’ Grade contract as the Jaguars’ only overseas pick with a match winning unbeaten 84 against his countrymen in the last match after he rescued his team from 77-7 chasing 169 to win in 36 overs in a tournament which been hit hard by the adverse weather.
Skipper Chris Barnwell, Royston Crandon and Steven Jacobs, who is yet to contribute with the bat, are all capable of scoring quickly while Albion spin twins Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo have shown they could bat giving Guyana’s batting depth.
Top Four-Day wicket taker Permaul with 32 wickets has five wickets in this tournament while leggie Bishoo is one behind him. Jacobs has bowled impressively, while Barnwell and Wintz should provide pace support today. Reifer is also a bowling option with left-arm seam on a pitch which again could gave assistance to both pace and spin.
Chandrika batted elegantly for his 52 against the Windwards but Reifer is the only other batsman with a half-century in a side in which the batting has been inconsistent although Vishaul Singh (49) and Bramble (43*) have come close.
CCC’s batting will center around Shacaya Thomas, who got a Four-Day ton against Guyana last year, Skipper Chadwick Walton, Kyle Hope and Kaveem Hodge, while Trinidad born Bajan off-spinner Ryan Austin will spearhead the CCC bowling.
Barbados face the Windwards in the other Zone ‘A’ game today at Shaw Park in Tobago and the team that wins today will move to six points. If however, rain washes out the contest before 20 overs are completed both teams will collect two points to move to four, while if CCC get the better of the Jaguars they will finish second in Zone ‘A’ to leaders Guyana who have nine points.
If CCC and Barbados or Windwards finish on six points the second semi-final spot from Zone ‘A’ will be decided on net run rate. CCC squad: Chadwick Walton (Captain), Ryan Austin, Cassius Burton, Keron Cottoy, Kavem Hodge, Kyle Hope, Kyle Mayers, James McDonald, Paul Palmer, Christopher Powell, Rovman Powell, Kristopher Ramsaran, Shacaya Thomas, Kesrick Williams, Floyd Reifer (Head Coach), Stephen Leslie (Manager), Tony Gray (Assistant Coach), Keshava Ramphal (Assistant Coach), Lee-Ann Johnson (Video Analyst)
Guyana squad: Chris Barnwell (Captain), Trevon Griffith, Rajendra Chandrika, Raymond Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Royston Crandon, Steven Jacobs, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Ronsford Beaton, Paul Wintz, Vishaul Singh, Esaun Crandon (Head Coach), Ryon Griffith (Asst Coach/Manager)
