GUYANA’S Under-19 team coach Hubern Evans believes the bowling department of his charges selected to represent Guyana in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)-organised TCL-sponsored Regional Under-19 tournament is the key for success. In an invited comment with Chronicle Sport yesterday, the 54-year-old Evans who has been in charge of the technical department of the national youth team since 2004 said the team’s batting has been its downfall on numerous occasions.
“Over the years, our bowling has been seeing us through while the batting has been our downfall. When I took a closer look at the composition of this year’s team, I see lots of utility players, but in three-day games, we need a few specialist players also.”
Evans singled out a few players who are expected to shoulder the batting in an already brittle line-up, especially with the selectors opting for Under-15 opener Brian Sattaur ahead of the more experienced Quincy Ovid-Richardson.
“Berbice’s Harrinarine Chattergoon and Dominic Rikhi, Demerara’s Kwame Crosse and Herell Greene of Essequibo will be looked at to carry our batting, with both Crosse and Rikhi displaying the temperament to occupy the crease.
“But while that is an important factor, the accumulation of runs from the other players is what would be vital, especially to our bowlers. As I have said, our bowling is our strength for many years now.”
Guyana’s bowling will be led by West Indies Under-19 and national first class fast bowler Keon Joseph who will be competing at this level for the third time.
“He is our experienced fast bowler and is expected to lead from the front, providing he does not come down with any injuries. Support in the fast bowling department will also come from Andre Stoll and Raun Johnson.
When you add our spinners in former West Indies Under-15 right-arm leg-spinner Amir Khan, along with Sherwin McPherson and Ricardo and Anthony Adams, certainly we have a bowling line-up, capable of getting us the 20 wickets we need to win a game. So there is no doubt about our bowling ability,” Evans said.
While no captain has been appointed, Solomon is certain to fill that gap, based on his leadership experience displayed at both the national Under-17 and the Under-19 Inter-county levels, but Evans believes such a responsibility should be shouldered by either Chattergoon or Greene.
Evans cited the leadership role displayed by Steven Jacobs in the 2006/2007 tournament which Guyana won, before surrendering the title to Jamaica the following year when the tournament was played in Barbados.
“When you take a look at our team that contested the 2004 tournament, you would see a strong team on paper. But to my mind, the Steven Jacobs-led 2006/07 team was a powerful one, not because they won the championships, but the pivotal role Jacobs played as captain.
As a leader, you need to stand out from the front and he did just that, even in our encampment period. And while I don’t intend to take anything away from Solomon, I believe he should be left alone to concentrate on his wicket-keeping duties, especially with him being the lone keeper in the squad, even though he has had captaincy experience at the national level before,” said Evans.
He continued, “Like the captaincy position, to my mind, the wicket-keeping position is a pivotal role also, and I would certainly leave Solomon to focus on that, therefore I would endorse on any given day, either Chattergoon or Greene as the captain of this team.”
When asked about his plans for the team who began an 18-day encampment yesterday, the man who played nine first class matches for Guyana and scored 45 runs at an average of 37.08, said, “lots of physical and mental training, with a few cricket-related activities”.
“When you look at the itinerary for the tournament, there is only one rest day in-between matches therefore we need to have them physically prepared for a rigorous tournament, hence lots of physical sessions.
Added to that, some mental sessions are in the pipeline, but that’s yet to be confirmed as I am awaiting the schedule from the GCB’s Cricket Development Officer; but in a nutshell, we have to have them prepared both mentally and physically,” stated Evans.
The national team will be in camp at the Chetram Singh Centre of Excellence until the July 4, before departing for St Lucia on July 6, when they will oppose the Leeward Islands in their first match from July 8 to 10.