ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, (CMC) – The Windward Islands and Guyana arrived late Tuesday for their season-opening clash in the WICB Four-day Regional Tournament this weekend at the National Stadium.
Both teams were affected by airline travel issues with non-arrival of gear, but the Windwards – with most of their gear in — were quickly into a net session yesterday morning.
Guyana’s gear did not land at their 9:00 pm arrival Tuesday and officials were at the Point Saline International Airport Wednesday morning trying to recover their playing equipment in time for an afternoon training session.
Without a regional four-day in over 10 years, the Guyanese are being led by batsman Travis Dowlin with Albert Smith (coach) and Carl Moore (manager) completing their management team.
They are missing current touring West Indies players Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Sewnarine Chattergoon but have a solid unit and Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) president Chetram Singh has urged the young players to use the chance to expose themselves to regional selectors.
“You have the opportunity to showcase your talent in these two away games, not only to your local selectors, but the regional ones as well, as there are a lot of vacancies in the West Indies team,” Singh told the squad as they departed from Guyana Tuesday.
The Guyanese have not won the regional four-day crown since 1998 when shared the President’s Cup with the Leeward Islands.
The Windwards, with Ian Allen as coach and Lockhart Sebastien as manager, had a promising build-up for the season last weekend when they crushed the Leewards by an innings and 25 runs in a pre-season match in St Kitts.
Their 34-year-old captain Rawl Lewis stroked 121 not out and off-spinner Shane Shillingford snared a 12-wicket match haul as the Windwards completed the win inside two days of the scheduled three-day fixture.
Grenada’s cricket chief Cecil Greenidge said the squad has been given a mandate to shed the perennial label of being underdogs.
“I told them this is a watershed year for them and they need to perform,” Greenidge said.
“Our performances have been below par and we cannot continue to look as if we are settling for mediocre performances,” added Greenidge, who is also on the Windwards board.
The Windwards were regional one-day champions in 1989 and 2001 but have never won the four-day title.
GUYANA SQUAD – Travis Dowlin (captain), Krishna Arjune, Shemroy Barrington, Narsingh Deonarine, Leon Johnson, Steven Jacobs, Royston Crandon, Darwin Christian, Christopher Barnwell, Esaun Crandon, Brendon Bess, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo.
WINDWARDS SQUAD – Rawl Lewis (captain), Devon Smith, Miles Bascombe, Kevin James, Lyndon James, Darren Sammy, Garvin Roberts, Deighton Butler, Liam Sebastien, Denis George, Mervyn Matthew, Shane Shillingford, Nelon Pascal.
