… Sarwan not fazed by T&T
GUYANA’S preparations for the upcoming Airtel Champions League which will be played in South Africa next month was given a timely boost by four USA-based businessmen yesterday.
In a timely gesture and at a simple presentation ceremony held during the national team’s practice session at the Guyana National Stadium, US-based businessman Dave Narine presented president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Chetram Singh with a cheque for $500 000.
Narine, who is the managing director of Dave West Indian Imports in New York, presented the cheque on behalf of the other three businessmen namely Dr Stanley Sohan, Danny Sawh and Shook Shivmangal. He said he was pleased to be making this donation at such a timely moment in Guyana’s cricket.
“I am an ardent supporter of Guyana’s cricket. Whenever the guys are in New York or even Jamaica or some other Caribbean Island and I am there, I would take it upon myself to take them to a dinner or so.
I have made several contributions to other sports discipline and even the Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira Foundation in the past, and with Guyana going on to South Africa following their win in the Regional championships, we thought it best to make this contribution to the team’s preparations for their upcoming tournament,” the 44-year-old Narine said.
In his thank-you speech, Singh expressed the gratitude of the GCB to the sponsors for their timely intervention, stating that the GCB has a huge task in getting the team prepared for South Africa.
“As you are aware, the GCB is faced with a huge task in preparing the team for South Africa and it’s with this in mind that I wish to say a heartfelt thanks to Dave and his fellow businessmen for this generous donation today. Gestures like these will go a far way in helping us prepare the team for the task ahead ….” 
Meanwhile, skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan said he is not fazed by Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) whom Guyana will face in two T20 practice matches this weekend, which is a part of their preparations for South Africa.
“As I have stated before, we need the kind of preparation that will enable us to hit the ground hard and running when we get to South Africa and I think the two matches against T&T would be great.
This match is all part of our preparation and it plays an important part also, so as a team, we are looking forward to same. It will give us an opportunity to execute what we have been practising over the past two weeks,” said Sarwan.
When asked to comment on T&T’s remarks about they being a better team than Guyana and should be the ones representing the Region in South Africa, Sarwan said he would not be drawn into any verbal argument as the record speaks for itself.
“Everybody is entitled to his or her opinion and if they feel to themselves that they are the better team than we, then that’s their choice. What I do know is that the records say something different and at the end of the day, we (Guyana) are the ones going to South Africa.
The fact that we won the T20 tournament says it all for us. I am sorry if they are finding it difficult to come to terms with that, but the record will show who the better team is and while we are looking forward to the matches this weekend, I am not fazed by their words.” the 30-year-old Sarwan stated.
The Guyanese – minus veteran all-rounder Lennox Cush – who are encamped at the Princess Hotel for the past two weeks have been undergoing daily fitness and training sessions under the watchful eyes of former West Indies coach Roger Harper, national coach Rabindranauth Seeram and trainer Orin Bailey.