HAVING successfully led Guyana to a series of firsts within the past six years, inspirational captain and West Indies middle order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan is looking to continue the trend by taking the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) sponsored Super50 tournament which bowls off next month. In 2005, Sarwan led Guyana to the inaugural WICB KFC Cup, the last time the South Americans won a Regional 50 overs tournament, followed by the Stanford T20 title one year later and last year’s WICB Caribbean T20 trophy.
The members of the 29 man squad minus Amir Khan and Ronsford Beaton (WI U-19 duties) and Narsingh Deonarine were all present at the Georgetown Cricket Club yesterday morning, where they were put through several fitness and endurance tests by coach Mark Harper and Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB) Territorial Development Officer Reon King.
In an invited comment with Chronicle Sport during a break in proceedings, the 30 year old Sarwan who also plays for Georgetown Cricket Club believes that the training squad comprises many players who are very talented.
‘I think they have some very talented players in the squad. I have not been around for awhile due to injury, but I think from what I heard from the coach Mark Harper, it is basically a talented group of players who are hungry for success.
Asked to comment on Guyana’s chances in the upcoming tournament which will be played in our own backyard, Sarwan believes that the players who will make up the final 14 man squad, should by now be au fait with the conditions at home, hence aiding the team’s success.
“First of all, it would be nice to continue the tradition of being crowned the first champions of tournaments played under the auspices of the WICB, having done so in recent times.
This tournament will be played under some new rules, including the use of two balls per innings along with some other changes and we will have to adjust quickly to that. The good thing about it is that we have some time on our hands before we head into the tournament” said Sarwan.
He added, “Hopefully we can adapt as quickly as possible and take it from there. There are a few talented players in the lineup and some of them are in top form at the moment, so it would be nice to see them transfer not only their talent but their form, into the tournament and hopefully we can bring the bacon home.”
The right handed middle order batsman believes that playing at home should be an advantage to Guyana, especially the conditions which he feels will suit his team very well.
“The conditions and the wickets at home would place our batsmen in good standing, while we play spin pretty well and we also have a few quality spin bowlers in our squad and with the pitches here being conducive enough for spin it gives us that option to playing extra spinners.
Added to that, I don’t think the wickets here can be compared to those in Barbados and Jamaica, where you will find there is much pace and bounce, so I think we stand a good chance of turning in a creditable performance in this tournament and like I said bring the bacon home.”
Commenting on his own fitness, Sarwan said he is pain free, having not felt such conditions for the past six weeks and once he sticks to the weekly training regime given to him, he would be 100% fit and ready to go when Guyana play the Windward Islands in their first  game on 19th October at the Guyana National Stadium.
Meanwhile, the Rrayon Griffith led senior selection panel of the GCB has selected the 14 man squad and six standby players for the Super50 tournament, with Cellink Berbice successful skipper Assad being recommend to and approved by the Executive Committee of the GCB, to lead the side.
Six newcomers in pugnacious opener Trevon Griffith, T20 fast bowler Paul Wintz, the West Indies Under-19 pair of Ronsford Beaton and Amir Khan, Stephen Latcha and T20 batting sensation Jonathan Foo has been included in the squad.
Discarded West Indies opener Sewnarine Chattergoon, who did not find favour with the Berbice Cricket Board selection committee for the recently concluded four team tournament, has found his place back in the team, while Travis Dowlin has been placed on the standby list.
According to a press release from the GCB, should Sarwan’s condition remain unchanged on October 14th, a request will be made to the WICB for him to be replaced by Dowlin  in the squad which will see Leon Johnson performing the role of vice captain to Fudadin.
The 14 man squad reads: Trevon Griffith, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Assad Fudadin, Leon Johnson,   Ramnaresh Sarwan,  Steven Jacobs, Royston Crandon, Christopher Barnwell,  Derwin Christian, Amir Khan, Stephen Latcha,  Paul Wintz, Jonathan Foo, Ronsford Beaton. Manager is David Black while the Coach is Mark Harper.
The six standby players are; Travis Dowlin, Vishal Singh, Anthony Bramble, Norwayne Fredericks, Eugene La Fleur and Clinton Pestano.