MEMBERS of both Guyana and Leeward Islands national cricket teams will have a look of disappointment on their faces today when they turn up at the world-renowned Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground to commence their second round match in this year’s West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) four-day competition. The reason is Mother Nature, since persistent overnight rain from Wednesday night right into after lunch yesterday, left the venue minus the 30-yard circle of the pitch, under water and with more rain forecast for the next two days, the possibility of play is unlikely.
No doubt, the Assad Fudadin-led Guyana team would have been looking to rebound following their first-round loss to Jamaica, after snatching first innings points from the defending champions, for whom Marlon Samuels’ unbeaten double ton spearheaded their eventual victory.
Fudadin was high in praise for his bowlers, whom he felt did an excellent job in restricting their hosts to a meagre total in the first innings, but called on his batsmen to make good on pitches that are conducive for batting. Hence this encounter would have shown whether his words were heeded.
The Leeward Islands would have also looked forward to the encounter, since they themselves suffered an outright first-round defeat at the hands of the England ‘A’ team, also known as the English Lions.
As it is, the heavens opened up and flooded the venue, which meant both teams will have to share the points on or before Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the senior selection committee of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) met yesterday to select the squad for this match, having stated earlier that the first one chosen was for the first game, and replaced the injured Leon Johnson with Gajanand Singh.
The Guyana 13-man squad reads: Assad Fudadin (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Rajendra Chandrika, Shemroy Barrington, Steven Jacobs, Derwin Christian, Royston Crandon, Veerasammy Permaul, Brandon Bess, Ronsford Beaton, Esaun Crandon, Vishal Singh and Gajanand Singh.