Lennox Cush and Mahendra Nagamootoo take a break during their team’s practice session at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence yesterday. (Photograph by Calvin Roberts)

COACH of the Ramnaresh Sarwan led President’s XI team which opposes the Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo led CARICOM Superstars XI in two Twenty20 games tomorrow and Saturday at the Guyana National Stadium, Mark Harper has expressed confidence in his team coming out victorious in both matches.

“We have a good team that is well balanced with players who are capable of attacking the bowling if the need arises and with two quality spinners in Lennox Cush and Mahendra Nagamootoo who bowled exceedingly well for Guyana in the Stanford T20 tournament, this team can very well come out on top at the end of the day.”

Harper who took time out from his team’s first practice session at the venue yesterday further stated, “Yes this is 20/20 cricket which is instant cricket so you have to play control but at the same time, aggressive cricket and it is with this in mind, along with the composition of this team makes me confident that they will be victorious in both matches.”

The two matches are being organised by a group of businessmen who calls themselves the ‘Friends of Cricket’ committee and carries a purse of G$1m to the winner of each game respectively.

The 51 year- old Harper, who is the older brother of former West Indies all rounder and Coach Roger Harper, believes his batting line up can get any total thrown at them by the opposition tomorrow night.

“Our batting lineup consists of senior players in the caliber of Sewnarine Chattergoon, Narsingh Deonarine and skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan who are all West Indian players capable of destroying any bowling attack on their day.”

He further stated, “When you add fast rising all rounder Christopher Barnwell, the talented Esaun Crandon along with Leon Johnson, Imran Khan, Steven Jacobs, Darwin Christian and Nagamootoo who is no rabbit with the bat to the fray, I see a team that is capable of getting any total thrown at us after our 20 overs in the field.”

When quizzed on the time the team trained together, having completed their first session yesterday at the venue, Harper was not fazed by the short preparation time, even though much more time would have been appreciated.

“They have played together and against each other at various levels before, hence they know what is expected of them at this level. They are accustomed to each other’s game, with a few players complimenting each other game, so it would be easy for them to gel in such a short time.”

Harper was not a willing partner to disclose his bowling tactics for his opponent’s batting line up which consists of Gayle who is known as a destroyer of bowling attacks around the world, Xavier Marshall, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo, but did not rule out the option of Cush starting the new ball with one of the fast bowlers, as was evident in the Stanford tournament.

“We don’t want to disclose our trumps before the game is played, but the possibility of Cush starting the new ball with one of our fast bowlers is an option which the captain will have the final say on tomorrow. But with Nagamootoo in the fray, anything is possible.”

“In a nutshell, we have a good team and once we get it right, then there is all possibility we will be victorious at the end of the two matches. Cricket is played in the middle and the team that plays the better cricket on the day will be the victors and I know that team is the President’s XI” said Harper.

Meanwhile, Nagamootoo who is the regional record holder for most wickets was a late inclusion into the President’s XI squad, while the Caricom Superstars have also drafted in two more players.