THIS year’s Guyana Cricket Board-organised (GCB) Carib Beer/Pepsi Twenty20 Big Smash caravan moves to the next level, with the bowling-off of the Super Eight on Saturday at the Skeldon Community Centre ground. This follows the completion of the preliminary round of the competition which saw the emergence of exciting new talent, big hitting and close finishes, while Elton Baker’s brilliant 106 for the GCB’s President’s XI set off alarms.
Newly elected skipper of the Church’s Chicken Corentyne Titans Royston Crandon’s 61 which was also scored in the preliminary round, must have set tongues wagging, while players of the calibre of Krishna Arjune and Ryan Ramdass, who both returned from successful stints overseas, would add spectacle to an already intriguing and exciting tournament.
The Noble House Seafoods-sponsored Young Conquerors unit is made up of under-23 players brimming with confidence and willing to tackle the older brigade, being led by the all-time leading wicket-taker in regional cricket, Mahendra Nagamootoo, and the coolest customer in the business, Andre Percival, who will both turn out for the Hotel Tower Cavaliers.
The blistering pace attack of the Mario’s Pizza Super Kings which is been led by Guyana and West Indies fast bowler Brandon Bess, has been bolstered by the equally blistering batting of Richard Ramdeen and the fans at Skeldon are in for a treat this weekend.
The absence of Leon Johnson and Christopher Barnwell from the legendary Gizmos and Gadgets Georgetown Pitbulls has been exacerbated by the injury to West Indies T/20 wicketkeeper Derwin Christian.
But if their opponents sense vulnerability in the lineup, then coach David Harper is asking them to think again, since the replacements are just as good as the original, which makes it all the more exciting for cricket-lovers in the Ancient County to throng the venue on Saturday.
Teams for the Super 8 will be chosen from:
Church’s Chicken Corentyne Titans: Sewnarine Chattergoon, Assad Fudadin, Narsingh Deonarine, Royston Crandon (captain), Rajiv Ivan, Keon De Jesus, Anthony Bramble, Jonathan Foo, Stephen Latcha, Clinton Pestano, Mark Lionel, Romario De Jonge, Devon Clements and Shimron Hetmyer.
Mario’s Pizza West Berbice Super Kings: Romain Boodram, Karamdat Bissoondyal, Keith Fraser, Brandon Bess, Keon Joseph, Krisendat Ramoo (captain), Sherwin McPherson, Rafael Estriado, Kwesi Mentore, Eon Abel, Steffon Adams, Keyron Fraser, Richard Ramdeen and Joemal La Fleur.
North Essequibo Warriors: Norman Fredericks, Royan Fredericks, Kevon Boodie, Delon Heyliger, Jason Heyliger, Ricardo Adams, Anthony Adams, Ronsford Beaton, Herrell Greene, Triston Massena, Nokta Moses, Roopesh Motilall, Keron Sewnarine and Vishwanath Lall.
Hotel Tower West Demerara Cavaliers: Gajanand, Singh, Andre Percival, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Paul Wintz, Andrew Lyght Jr, Anthony Ifill, Raj Nannan, Balram Samaroo, Dayanand Roopnarine, Cohen Ismond, Budhan Baksh, Waheid Edwards and Ishwar Singh.
Gizmos and Gadgets Georgetown Pitbulls: Shemroy Barrington, Trevon Griffith, Steven Jacobs (captain), Wasim Haslim, Dion Ferrier, Totaram Bishun, Leroy Bristol, Joseph Perry, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Kellon Carmichael, Carl Rambharose, Troy Gonsalves and Rajendra Chandrika.
Carib Foods East Bank Pirates: Krishna Arjune, Zaheer Mohammed, Krishna Deosarran, Charles Ramson Jr, Jagdesh Bishun, Videsh Lall, Raul Khan (captain), Shivram Persaud, Kerwin Austin, Roopnarine Ramsundar, David Francis, Samuel Pindar and Vishal Sarjoo.
Nobel House Young Conquerors:  Robin Bacchus, Danny Narayan, Kwame Crosse, Shaquille Williams, Jason Sinclair, Charwayne McPherson, Joshua Wade, Seon Daniels, Travis Blyden, Andre Stoll, Shawn Pereira, Kevin Ramdeen and Ishwari Persaud.
GCB President’s XI: Rawle Browne, Abhilash Dookie, Vishal Singh, Shawn De Souza, David Dick, Elton Baker, Trevon Garraway, Amir Khan, Eon Hooper, Jeetendra Sookdeo, Dexter Solomon, Leon Scott and Dennis Legay.