ESSEQUIBO’S teenage first-class fast bowler Ronsford Beaton has been assigned the task of leading Guyana in this year’s West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)-organised, TCL-sponsored Regional Under-19 youth tournament which bowls off in Guyana on July 17.
Beaton will have as his deputy fellow West Indies Under-19 middle-order batsman Kwame Crosse, who many felt would have been given the captaincy, since he led Guyana in the WICB Under-17 tournament three years ago.
Fellow West Indies Under-19 and first-class leg-spinner Amir Khan is also included in the Guyana team along with Berbice’s left-arm orthodox spinner Gudakesh Motie and Essequibo’s Anthony and Ricardo Adams. There was no place for either Raj Nanan or fast bowler Kevin Ogle.
While Crosse can handle himself well with the new ball, Beaton will first look to Clinton Pestano, who was impressive in the recently concluded Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)-organised, GTM-sponsored Under-19 Inter-county championships.
One look at the 14-man squad shows that the GCB’s junior selection panel, led by chairman Michael Franco-Hyles, has spin as Guyana’s stronghold to take the championship for the first time in four years, having last done so under the astute captaincy of Steven Jacobs in St Kitts.
Apart from Motie and Khan, both Adams are useful spinners of the ball along with Berbice’s Lloydel Lewis and Joemal La Fleur, while Crosse can be a useful off-spinner as well.
Essequibo’s Kevon Boodie will be asked to take care of the wicket-keeping duties as well as an opening batsman, with Kandasammy Surujnarine being the other opener, while Crosse, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Dominique Rikhi and both Adams will provide useful support with the bat.
The team, who will be coached by Hubern Evans and managed by Raymond Barton, went into encampment at the Chetram Singh Centre of Excellence yesterday, where Technical Development Officer of the GCB and former West Indies fast bowler Reon King has scheduled rigorous training sessions ahead of the tournament.
The schedule includes pool sessions at the Colgrain Pool, yoga sessions at the Transport Sports Club pavilion and a practice match at a venue against an opponent yet to be named, from July 11 to 13. The players will break camp the following day. (Calvin Roberts)