By Brij Parasnath In Trinidad &Tobago

RAYON Griffith, manager and assistant coach of the Guyana Jaguars team, has high hopes and is confident that the Guyana Jaguars team will give a good account of themselves in the WICB NAGICO Super50 final against the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force team in their showdown to decide the winners of the first-ever professional Limited-overs title.Both teams topped their respective Zone and it was no surprise that they emerged winners of their semi-finals which were contested at the Queen’s Park Oval on Thursday and Friday.
The QP Oval will once again be the scene for a gripping encounter between two very balanced outfits that comprise experienced and seasoned professionals as well as budding stars who are keen to make an impact as well as re-establish themselves as strong contenders for selection on the West Indies teams in the future.
The Guyana Jaguars are fortunate to have someone of the calibre of veteran WI player Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose appetite and hunger for runs and success grows as he gets older. His ability to withstand pressure and take the advantage away from the opposition has been the hallmark of his outstanding international and regional career.
He has scored 12 limited-overs hundreds and 94 fifties. Among his centuries there is only one in the regional 50 overs-a-side competition, – 112 for Guyana against Barbados at Kaiser in 1998. It is noteworthy that the last time Guyana celebrated regional Limited-overs supremacy was in 2005 when he was the captain of the team.
Guyana contested a List A final in 2009 with Ramnaresh Sarwan at the helm but they lost to Trinidad and Tobago which was led by Daren Ganga, their most successful regional captain.
On Thursday evening, Chanderpaul reminded his detractors that he still has the attitude and aptitude to overcome adversity and insurmountable challenges. The 40-year-old proved his worth with a decisive unbeaten 98 in the semi-final and piloted the Guyana Jaguars to a six-wicket victory over the Jamaica Franchise.
He will have to reproduce a similar performance against much stronger and determined opponents who themselves are seeking to redeem lost pride and are also hoping the finish the tournament with strong performances that will keep them in contention for re-selection on WI teams.
Players of the calibre of world-class all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard as well as strike bowler Ravi Rampaul – three of the most outstanding limited-overs performers for the WI team for the past four years – have been overlooked or sidelined by the West Indian selectors for the 2015 ICC World Cup, emblem of world limited-overs supremacy.
Their presence in the T&T Red Force line-up cannot be overstated or over-emphasised but their contributions will make a significant difference between the eventual winners of the NAGICO Super50 trophy tonight.
The Red Force has greater variety in their bowling attack and the other players, especially Sunil Narine and Kevon Cooper will present a much more formidable challenge for the Guyanese batsmen in their quest to lift their 11th regional Limited-overs crown.
Griffith revealed that the rainy conditions prevented them from a proper training session yesterday. He stressed, “There were no nets in the middle but we still practised. But rain interrupted the session and we had to go to the indoor nets, which is not ideal for the players to fine-tune for the final. We are still happy that the players were able to get in some practice.”
There is a major concern for him and the team selectors. They are worried about the overall performance of fast bowler Ronsford Beaton who has struggled to maintain good control and penetration during his spells. Beaton was erratic in the semi-finals and was used in only three overs.
Griffith said: “We have one major concern and that is with Ronsford Beaton’s bowling. We know he can do better but he has not been getting it right on the Oval pitch which is slower than he is accustomed to. Bowling at the right length will be important and we have been advising what he can do to make an impact. So we are worried and hoping for the best. We will have to make that decision tomorrow (today).”
The decision for the team’s selectors is whether to still keep Beaton in the side or replace him with medium pacer Paul Wintz?
Wintz was very impressive in his only outing against the Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners. He was used in an extended spell of 7-0-24-2. Surprisingly, he was not utilised later in the CCC’s innings and the Jaguars gave away their advantage and shockingly lost to their much less experienced opponents.
Griffith explained that “the mood in the team is good. The players are upbeat and we are confident of doing well. The players will put out everything to win the match. They are determined and we expect them to give of their best. It will not be an easy game but we know what they are capable of doing and we are looking forward for a positive result.”
Apart from Chanderpaul, opener Rajendra Chandrika, Vishaul Singh, Raymon Reifer, skipper Christopher Barnwell and Royston Crandon will have to be much more vigilant and at the same time productive on a track that has given the batsmen nightmares in trying to adjust their style and strokeplay against quality bowlers. Some struggled even against newcomers in the Zonal matches and now they face their sternest test against the Red Force contingent that will be supported by a capacity crowd..
The Jaguars lower order batsmen especially Anthony Bramble, Veersammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo have shown tremendous courage and determination and have been able to rally and help their team to respectability with the bat.
They will be called upon to reproduce similar performances should the frontline batsmen fail to defy the opposition and produce substantial scores.
Overall, Trinidad and Tobago hold the advantage in terms of regional limited-overs titles and victories over Guyana. In 25 encounters, T&T won 13 as against eight by Guyana. There were four no-result matches. T&T are the most prolific regional team with ten crowns while Guyana are second with nine titles.
The T&T Red Force hold a slight advantage having won all their matches in this year’s competition. And with tremendous crowd support, they, like the Guyana Jaguars, will be seeking to topple their opponents and register history as the first team in the professional era to be crowned regional champions in limited-overs cricket.
Once the weather is kind, cricket-lovers should witness a gripping battle between two equally talented teams that comprise some of the region’s leading exponents of the game.