THE West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) High Performance Centre (HPC) programme rolled into Guyana on Wednesday for a session with the four Under-19 players selected to the regional side for the upcoming World Cup.According to WICB Director and Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board Anand Sanasie, the team of Vasbert Drakes, former West Indian pacer and Adam West, arrived here to design a special programme for the four selected Guyanese.
Commenting on the session, Sanasie added, “The WICB has redesigned the HPC programme. It’s now not a cohort going into the HPC but they are moving around and specialised attention is given to the different skill sets.”
According to Sanasie, the programmes are further aimed at ensuring that what was taught during previous camps are upheld and practised so as to keep players in top shape.
The pair of West and Drakes departed Guyana yesterday with their next stop expected to be Trinidad and Tobago.
Shimron Hetmyer, an opening batsman, was named the WICB U-19 Cricketer-of-the-Year in 2014 and at this year’s U-19 tournament he scored the most runs (355 with one century and two half-centuries).
He also registered the highest individual score (135 against Leeward Islands).
Akshaya Persaud, the left-arm off-spinner, is also a dependable middle-order batsman who gained recognition with his 92 for Demerara in the final against Berbice in this year’s Under-19 Inter-County competition.
Tevin Imlach is an opening batsman/wicketkeeper and another product of the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC). He is a skilful upcoming batsman and a good ’keeper while Kemo Paul is an all-rounder who burst onto the scene last year in the Inter-County competition.
The other players selected for the West Indies Under-19 team are: Kacey Carty, Jaeel Clarke, Shahid Crooks, Michael Frew, Jyd Goolie, Keon Harding, Ryan John, Alzarri Joseph, Kirstan Kallicharran, Obed McCoy, Gidron Pope, Akil Seetal, Keagan Simmons, Odean Smith and Shamar Springer.