AS GUYANA celebrates its 47th Independence Anniversary today, several of its leading cricketers will converge on the Albion Community Centre ground, to compete in the second annual Berbice Cricket Board/Berbice Chamber of Commerce-organised Independence T20 Championships.

Four teams, namely local T20 giants Universal DVD Club Berbice Titans, Berbice Karibee Rice Tigers, BK International East Coast Jaguars and Georgetown Lions will do battle for the top prize of $400 000, when the action gets under way with the first semifinal at 10:00hrs.
Players of the calibre of Christopher Barnwell, who recently returned from his maiden stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he was bought but never got a chance to make the Royal Challengers Bangalore final XI, and national T20 skipper Veerasammy Permaul, will be on show.
Add Assad Fudadin, Jonathan Foo, Devendra Bishoo, Rajiv Ivan, Gajanand Singh, Trevon Griffith, Leon Johnson, Derwin Christian, Paul Wintz, Troy Gonsalves, Shawn Pereira, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai, Romario Shepherd-DeJonge, Jason Sinclair, Kevin Ramdeen, Zaheer Mohammed, Clive Andries and Rajendra Chandrika and there is no reason one should not be at the venue today.
Calling the winner in this contest would definitely be difficult, since all the teams have within their lineup players who are capable of producing match-winning performances both with bat or ball for their respective club teams.
Kudos to the organisers, particularly BCB vice-president Anil Beharry, who executes the duties of Chairman of the Organising Committee, for putting together such a fantastic event, where cricket-loving fans in the Ancient County will have a chance to see Guyana’s present and future cricketing stars on display.
As an added incentive for the fans who are asked to pay an entrance fee of $500, fabulous gate prizes including cell phones, mp3 players and hampers, among other tokens from various companies will be distributed freely.
The first game will see the Permaul-led Titans whose lineup also includes Eon Hooper, Clinton Pestano, Keon Joseph, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Richard Ramdeen and the pugnacious Shimron Hetmyer, take on the Shawn Pereira-led Berbice Karibee Rice Tigers, with Michael Newland, Steven Latcha and Joemal La Fleur in their lineup.
In the second contest, Georgetown Lions, who will be led by Johnson with Robin Bacchus, Seon Daniels, Andrew Lyght Jr. and Chandrapaul Hemraj, will face BK International East Coast Jaguars from 13;30hrs.
Brothers Krishna and Surujpaul Deosarran, Brian Sattaur, Christopher Pattadin and Anthony Ifill will add valuable support to Mohammed, Chandrika and Andries for the Jaguars, who will be chasing after their first local T20 title.
The gates will be opened at 09:00hrs and in the evening, the atmosphere will be transformed with the lighting up of big screen projectors, as the final will be played under massive floodlights. There will be fireworks displays and musical entertainment will be provided by the Crown Vibes International Sound Systems along with Bunty Singh’s one-man band.
Teams:
From: Universal DVD Club Berbice Titans – Veerasammy Permaul, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Richard Ramdeen, Assad Fudadin, Jonathan Foo, Shimron Hetmyer, Gajanand Singh, Rajiv Ivan, Delbert Hicks, Clinton Pestano, Eon Hooper, Devendra Bishoo, Yogindra Harrinarine and Keon Joseph.
Karibee Rice Berbice Tigers – Shawn Pereira (captain), Arthley Bailey, Keith Fraser, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai, Romario Shepherd-DeJonge, Kevin Ramdeen, Devendra Prashad, Jason Sinclair, Renwick Batson, Michael Newland, Stephen Latcha, Joemal LaFleur and Keon DeJesus.
BK International East Coast Jaguars – Rajendra Chandrika, Brian Sattaur, Krishna Deosarran (vice-captain) Somnauth Bharrat, Zaheer Mohamed (captain), Vishnu Ramjit, Christopher Pattadin, Clive Andries, Surujpaul Deosarran, Emran Khan, Videsh Lall Rohit Dutchin, Ryan Musa and Anthony Ifill.
The full Georgetown team reads: Leon Johnson, Trevon Griffith, Andrew Lyght Jr, Robin Bacchus, Shaquille Williams, Christopher Barnwell, Troy Gonsalves, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Chien Gittens, Paul Wintz, Treon Forde, Seon Daniels, Jason Heyliger, Keon Morris and Derwin Christian.