COACH of the national cricket team currently preparing for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Twenty20  tournament  which is set to commence in Barbados next week Wednesday, Ravindranauth Seeram, is pleased with the team’s preparations to date, despite the interference of the weather. Speaking with Chronicle Sport at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall yesterday morning where the squad was undergoing some intensive fitness exercise, Seeram said he was happy with the composition of the team.
“For me to say I am not happy, means you are asking me to lie to you because I am happy. When I look at this team, I see a bunch of experienced players mixed with the up and coming stars in Guyana’s cricket.
Unfortunately for some of the other guys especially those in the standby list, they could not make it, as from the selectors’ point of view, we were looking at those players who have the experience in this form of the game,” stated Seeram.
Guyana, who won the inaugural Stanford Twenty20 tournament back in Antigua four years ago before losing in the semifinal of the same tournament to Jamaica two years later, will oppose the Windward Islands in their first match at the Kensington Oval next Friday.
“We always did well in the shorter version of the game, even though we have not won a Regional championship after the 2006 team won the 20/20 tournament. However, we are looking to go and emulate that team and bring back home the trophy.
With that in mind, I will be hoping our senior guys who have been there before, such as West Indies players Travis Dowlin, skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lennox Cush and Esaun Crandon can take the junior players through and at the same time, help us bring home the trophy.”
While the weather has been preventing the team from having much turf practice, Seeram is still pleased with what he has seen from his charges, especially during their indoor sessions at the Chetram Singh Centre of Excellence.
“While we have not been able to get in any turf practice due to the inclement weather, I must say that I am pleased with what I have seen from the guys during the few indoor sessions we have had since their encampment on Monday.
“They have all displayed a willingness to work hard heading into this tournament and at times one can hear the voice of skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan urging his players on and that speaks volumes for the team, as he is an inspiration to many of them, during their fitness drills.”
“While we are unable to have the full use of the national stadium which has been closed to all sporting activities until the conclusion of the CAC Rugby championships, we will be taking full advantage of the outfield to do some fielding, catching along with some big hitting exercise.”
National all-rounder Esaun Crandon is recuperating rapidly from a knee injury and while that’s a good sign to the team, Seeram said he was not being pressured at the team’s fitness sessions.
“He (Esaun Crandon) has been recuperating from his knee injury, but we are not pressuring him during the training sessions as he is an asset to the team. However, we have him doing some light weight training and he will be okay within the next 48 hrs, which is a plus for us.”
Of the 14-member squad, only West Indies middle order batsman Narsingh Deonarine is missing from the pre-tournament camp, but he was expected to join same yesterday afternoon.
After opposing the Windward Islands at Kensington Oval next Friday, Guyana will face the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) at the same venue two days later before taking on Barbados at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago on July 29.
The final four will be played in the Twin Island Republic under lights, with the winning team going on to represent the West Indies in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Champions League which will be held in South Africa in September.