… Harper urges consistent, smart cricket

… Singh promises 150 percent

WITH two points from four overseas games, the Guyana Amazon Warriors returned to these shores yesterday to begin their phase of home matches in the 2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Unlike previous years, the Warriors are faced with a must-win leg, as they aim to bring their campaign back on track.
The Warriors campaign began on a wrong note, losing twice to the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Lauderhill, Florida before returning to the Caribbean to be beaten by hosts Trinbago Knight Riders.
However, despite winning against the St Lucia Stars on Sunday evening, inconsistency has been the Warriors’ primary problem so fa -, a concern of which head coach Roger Harper is fully aware.

Speaking after the Warriors arrival at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, Harper pointed out that the team need to play consistent and smart cricket if they want to develop a winning culture.
“We have to play consistent cricket, we have to play smart cricket, and we have to utilise our knowledge of the conditions as best as possible,” Harper, the former West Indies off-spinner said.
Harper acknowledged that while the Warriors have had a poor start to the tournament, he anticipates that the team can build on Sunday’s victory.
“We had a few close games, games that normally the Warriors would have managed to pull off, but we made a few errors, and we end up on the wrong end of those games. But I think coming back to Guyana…it is good to come here with a win, and hopefully we can use that momentum and build on it here and get into the flow of playing Warriors cricket,” Harper hoped.

He added, “Collectively, we haven’t really clicked with our batting; but having said that the batting seems to be getting better each game, and as I said, we hope to build on it here and play as we are normally capable of playing”.
Harper further indicated that the Warriors management unit is not exactly clear on the availability going forward for Pakistan’s duo, Sohail Tanvir and Babar Azam.
This new development came after the Pakistan Cricket Board abruptly revoked No-Objection Certificates given to 13 players currently in England and the West Indies and asked them to return home to fulfil national and domestic commitments.
Meanwhile, Guyana Amazon Warriors new recruit Gajanand Singh has promised to deliver 150 percent on-field performance during the Guyana leg.
Singh is definitely the Warriors best batsman on show, and after a match-winning performance on Sunday evening, where he made an unbeaten 35, the 29-year-old has suddenly been in the spotlight.

“I will give the Guyanese fans 150 percent, I will leave everything on the field, and whatever role I play I will try to bring joy to the fans,” he said.
Further, a poor home leg would definitely jeopardise the Warriors’ progress in the tournament, and could virtually put them out of contention for a place in the playoffs.
The Warriors are set to play four home games, the first of which is against Jamaica Tallawahs on August 17 at 18:00hrs; followed by Trinbago Knights at noon on August 19; Barbados Tridents at 18:00hrs on August 20; and St Lucia Stars at 18:00hrs on August 22.