WITH the presence of West Indies middle order batsman Assad Fudadin in their lineup, defending champions Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets (RHTGG) are heavily favoured to cart off this year’s Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)/Ramcharitar Construction Services 50 overs tournament, when they oppose Universal DVD Young Warriors (UDYW) in the final at the Cumberland ground tomorrow.

However, even though they are the firm favourites to take the title, the Fudadin-led RHTGG lineup would have their work cut out for them, as their opponents defeated the mighty Albion Cricket Club in their semifinal encounter, on the back of centuries from Richard Ramdeen and Shimron Hetmyer.
This was after RHTGG booked their place in the final, following two humiliating defeats inflicted on Port Mourant and Skeldon respectively, while many thought ACC, who have been in several finals in Berbice with RHTGG, would have overcome the host team (UDYW) for tomorrow’s contest.
The last time Young Warriors played their same opponents for tomorrow’s contest, which was a mere two weeks ago, they were bundled out for 103 and eventually lost the match by 8 wickets, hence the defending champions, who defeated ACC in last year’s final at the Port Mourant ground, would have every reason to smile when they enter the venue tomorrow morning.
For tomorrow’s game, Fudadin would be supported in the batting department by former national player Delbert Hicks, national 20/20 selectee Rajiv Ivan, Renwick Batson, the in-form Jason Sinclair, Khemraj Mahadeo, Clinton Pestano, Eon Hooper and Shawn Pereira.
Pestano and Fudadin would share the new ball with support from medium pacer Batson, off-spinners Hooper, Ivan, Lloydel Lewis, Mahadeo and Shailendra Shameer, while Pereira, who led Guyana well at this year’s Regional Under-19 tournament in Barbados, would offer support with his right-arm leg-spinners.
UDYW’s batting would be spearheaded by national players Gajanand Singh and Richard Ramdeen with support from Shimron Hetmyer, Balram Samaroo, Wahied Edwards, Seon Hetmyer, Ishwar Singh, Vishal Mohabir and the hard-hitting veteran Anil Beharry.
The home team’s bowling is very weak on paper, with Vishal Mohabir and Ameer Rahaman being tasked with taking care of the new ball against Batson and Hicks, who will more than likely start things for RHTGG.
Brothers Kevin and Richard Ramdeen are useful spinners along with Gajanand Singh, Balram Samaroo and Beharry, who is expected to bowl his left-arm orthodox spin, but how they fare against an opposition who crumbled to ACC’s spin attack in the BCB/Tenelec tournament last month is left to be seen.
The match starts at 09:30hrs and according to the BCB, Managing Director of Ramcharitar Construction Services Anirud Ramcharitar is expected to meet both teams before the game and also assist with the distribution of prizes.
The winners will walk away with $60 000 and a trophy, runners-up $30 000 and a trophy while the man-of-the-match in the final will receive $10 000 and a trophy.
Teams for the contest will be chosen from:
RHTGG – Assad Fudadin (captain), Shawn Pereira (v-c), Delbert Hicks, Renwick Batson, Jason Sinclair, Rajiv Ivan, Khemraj Mahadeo, Clinton Pestano, Loyydel Lewis, Eon Hooper, Shailendra Shameer, Arif Chan, A. Homraj, Nicholas Cameron and Daniel Lewis. Manager – Hilbert Foster, Coach – Patrick Lewis.

Young Warriors: – Gajanand Singh, Richard Ramdeen, Shimron Hetmyer, Anil Beharry, Wahied Edwards, Ishwar Singh, Seon Hetmyer, Vishal Mohabir, Kevin Ramdeen, Balram Samaroo, Suresh Dhanai, Kassim Khan and Ameer Rahaman. Manager – Sahadeo Singh, Coach – Hubern Evans.