EARLY morning showers prevented the Georgetown-based players in the Guyana National team, from having a practice session under the watchful eyes of coach Esaun Crandon and chairman of the Senior Selection Committee of the Guyana Cricket Board, Rayon Griffith, at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) ground yesterday afternoon.

This session, which was to coincide with one that was being held in Berbice, was called as Guyana prepare for an all-important 50 overs-a-side contest against the visiting Pakistan team at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, next Thursday.
Pakistan will use the game as a warm-up, ahead of their first two One-Day International fixtures against the Dwayne Bravo-led West Indies team on the July 14 and 16 of July at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
In an invited comment from Chronicle Sport, Griffith said he was disappointed for not being able to have the sessions, since he wanted to have a look at the Demerara-based players, who for quite sometime, were inactive due to the May/June rain that prevented any play in the Capital City.
“We already know what the weather pattern is like in Guyana, but we still wanted to get some sessions in, before the team came together on Monday. I would have loved to get them together early and further strengthen the unity among them.
“Hopefully, we can try to achieve it when the team comes together on Monday and maintain that leading up to the game against Pakistan, since it is our aim to give the visitors a competitive encounter and not just turn up and be rolled over,” said Griffith.
Reacting to Guyana’s performance in this year’s West Indies Cricket Board Super50 contest, Griffith said “It is something of the past and we are looking to move forward, starting with this game against Pakistan, especially with the team we have which is a young one, but with some measure of experience and who on their day can also churn out creditable performances.”
West Indies middle order batsman Narsingh Deonarine, former Guyana and West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, Leon Johnson, Veerasammy Permaul, who is the skipper, Devendra Bishoo, pugnacious opener Trevon Griffith and West Indies T20 all-rounder Christopher Barnwell are some of the players who will be suiting up against the visiting Pakistanis.
However,, Griffith was hoping to have another session at the Demerara Cricket Club ground this morning, weather permitting, while the team will come together next Monday for another practice session at a venue to be named, followed by a practice game against a Rest XI the following day at Everest Cricket Club ground.
According to the chairman, players such as Robin Bacchus, discarded opener Shemroy Barrington and wicketkeeper/batsman Derwin Christian, Amir Khan and Andre Stoll, are expected to feature in the Rest XI lineup.