GCB President’s Cup resumes today …
AFTER a break for limited overs cricket, joint points leaders Demerara and Berbice will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the table, when action in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)-organised and sponsored President’s Cup four-team four-day competition continues today.

The Zaheer Mohammed-led Demerara team who defeated perennial whipping boys Essequibo after losing first innings points, will oppose the Rest XI who suffered an outright loss in their first round match to the Assad Fudadin-led Berbice team.

Mohammed takes over the reins from West Indies middle order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan who, along with Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Travis Dowlin for Demerara, and Berbice’s in-form batsman Narsingh Deonarine, departs the country this morning for Australia via England.

No doubt, coach Gavin Nedd will be looking for a much better performance from his charges who will be going up against a combined unit, who were not selected by their county to compete in this competition, in the game set to commence at 0930 h at the Police Sports Club ground.

To this effect, his batting lineup which comprises players of the calibre of Rajendra Chandrika, Shemroy Barrington, Leon Johnson, Gajanand Singh, Steven Jacobs, Krishna Deosarran, Christopher Barnwell and to a lesser extent wicketkeeper Joseph Perry will have to turn in better performance than what was evident against Essequibo.

Troy Gonsalves rallied the lower order especially in the second innings when it was needed more and, along with Damian Van Tull who has put in yeoman service in the lower order for his club Malteenoes Sports Club, the two can churn in scores and at the same time, ink their names in the minds of the national selectors.

The bowling rests on the shoulders of Barnwell who is the senior bowler in the team and should be looking to redeem himself after a poor showing in some of the matches of the West Indies Cricket Board (ICB) President’s Cup limited overs competition.

He will receive support from national Under-19 left-arm fast bowler Andre Stoll, former national Under-19 fast bowler Leon Scott, with support from Mohammed, Gonsalves and Jacobs whose maiden second innings five-wicket haul saw his team to a come-from-behind victory.

The Rest team who lost to Berbice in their first round encounter, will once again be led by discarded national wicketkeeper/batsman Derwin Christian who will be looking to impress the selectors with his work in front of the stumps, especially after a record seven ducks, six of them in a row in the WICB four-day competition earlier this year despite hitting his maiden ton against Jamaica.

Trevon Griffith will be using this tournament as a warm-up for next year’s ICC Youth World Cup in New Zealand and his batting approach certainly confirms same, as he gifted his wicket away with some ridiculous shots early in his team’s innings against Berbice.

With batsmen in Richard Ramdeen, Norman Fredericks, Vishal Singh, Vishwanauth Lall, the hard-hitting Andrew Lyght Jr, Dion Ferrier, Ryan Ramdass, Wasim Haslim and all-rounders Kellon Carmichael and Alex Amsterdam, both Christian and his coach Orin Bailey have their work cut out for them.

The bowling will be led by Carmichael who can expect support from Ferrier, former Under-19 fast bowler Keon Fraser, with Sauid Drepaul, Totaram Bishun, Stephen Latcha and the fast improving Seon Daniels who has set tongues wagging with his pace and control at a young age.

Across at the Anna Regina ground is the battle between Berbice and perennial whipping boys Essequibo, who have the advantage of playing all their games at home.

The visitors already hampered by the unavailability of their in-form and prolific middle-order batsman Deonarine, will have to make do without the services of the Crandon siblings, Esaun and Royston and national wicketkeeper/batsman Delbert Hicks who are all on the injured list.

But Fudadin will be having at his disposal, national opener Sewnarine Chattergoon, Arthley Bailey, Rajiv Ivan, his deputy Homchand Pooran, Ranga Lachana, Vishwanauth Ramoo, Devon Clements and the dependable Eugene La Fleur from whom to choose his batting lineup.

National spin twins Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo are no rabbits with the bat, hence they can lend valuable support to the specialist batsmen along with the bean-poled national fast bowler Brandon Bess and his new ball partner Keon Joseph.

The bowling will be taken care of by Bess, Joseph, Permaul, Bishoo, La Fleur and Bailey, with both Fudadin and Chattergoon being capable enough to offer support if needed.

Essequibo’s challenge which will be expected to be an improved one from their last outing against Demerara, will be led by skipper Ramesh Narine who will be looking to Martin Boodram, Yogeshwar Lall, Latchman Rohit, Dillon Heyliger and Andrew Williams for support.

National fast bowler Trevon Garraway and his new-ball partner Trevor Benn who was unfortunate not to be included in the 25-man squad which was called to prepare for the WICB limited overs tournament, in which Guyana ended as runners-up to Trinidad and Tobago, troubled the Demerara batsmen with their each way swing with the new ball, which should not be different against the Ancient County team.

Support in the bowling department can be expected from Andrew Williams, Anthony Adams, Narine, Heyliger and Fredericks and with the GCB looking to develop the game in the country, a keen battle can be anticipated in both matches