Coach Evans calls for improved batting performance
HAVING commenced their three-day campaign with a commanding innings and 27-run victory over the Leeward Islands, hosts Guyana have faded into oblivion where they are sitting uncomfortably in the fourth spot on 15.8 points, in the present West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Under-19 three-day tournament. In an invited comment with team coach Hubern Evans at the Chetram Singh Centre of Excellence on Sunday after heavy rain washed out  the first  day’s play of his team’s fourth-round encounter against defending champions Windward Islands, the coach called on his batsmen to improve their performance.
“As I stated before a ball was bowled in the tournament, it was important to begin on a high which we did with our win against the Leeward Islands, where our guys played good all-round cricket with both bat and ball from the toss.
“And while we were not able to get in three full days in our second-round match against Jamaica, we still managed to restrict them to 86 for 5, which meant our bowlers were on song for us once again, while the batting did not get a chance to show their worth,” said Evans.
Reflecting on the embarrassing 73-run loss to Trinidad and Tobago in the third round at the Everest Cricket Club last week Thursday, Evans said the batting fell away, especially at critical stages of the game, as the batsmen failed to stick to the game plan.
Guyana began the final day’s play in the final session on 6 for 1, chasing 153 for victory and were bowled out for 79, thanks to Deron Davis’ 7 for 25, with only Kandasammy Surujnarine (32) and Kwame Crosse’s 17 being the lone batsmen to reach double figures.
“Definitely, our batting let us down in that third round encounter against Trinidad. We felt that we were in a winning position, after bowling them out for 69 in the second innings and being set 153 to win, since we know that our batting lineup was capable of getting such a score.
“Yes we lost Boodie (Kevon) early in our reply, but once you have batsmen of the calibre of Surujnarine, Crosse, Dominique Rikhi, Chandrapaul Hemraj and Joemal La Fleur in the lineup, along with Anthony Adams shouldering some responsibility in the lower order, that target should have been achieved,” said Evans.
He added, “Clinton Pestano can hit the ball while we all know Amir Khan is capable of getting in a few lusty blows of his own as well, so we outlined a game plan to get the score, which was: pick up the singles and at the same time rotate the strike, but the players failed to stick with same.
“While Davis was not so effective through the air, he was consistent with his line and length and with the lack of application and the determination to fight from our batsmen, he picked up his wickets and Trinidad won the game.”
With Barbados losing their third-round match to point leaders Jamaica, Evans was hoping to turn the tables on the Windward Islands in the fourth round, but unfortunately for him and other teams as well, rain had the final say with all matches in this round.
“We were hoping to extract revenge on the Windward Islands who are the defending champions, as Barbados’ demise to Jamaica was the perfect foil for us to push ourselves into second position on the points table, but the weather, which we have no control over, proved otherwise.
“Hopefully, we can go into the final round against the Bajans, with a view of taking full points which will serve as a fillip for the limited overs version of the tournament, something we have never won in any Under-19 tournament.
“I believe that once our batsmen match the performance of the bowlers, we can come out victorious in the limited overs tournament as our bowling has been going upward from strength to strength throughout the tournament. All that is needed is the batting to back them up, as was evident in the first game.”
Guyana take on Barbados in their third and final three-day match of this year’s tournament from Thursday while they begin their limited overs campaign against Trinidad and Tobago at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground next week Tuesday.