CAPTAIN of Guyana’s senior national cricket team, Leon Johnson, is calling on the young cricketers in his side to use their selection for the first game of the 2018-2019 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Four-Day Championship to prove themselves.

The 31-year-old, who led Guyana Jaguars to four consecutive four-day titles, said that with a number of players away on duty for the West Indies team in Bangladesh, opportunities are available for players to impress themselves upon the selectors.

Despite missing a few big names, including Raymon Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Chandrapaul Hemraj and Keemo Paul among others, the skipper is still confident of his squad doing well.
He called the players “a very good 13-man squad” after the names for the first game were released yesterday, following the completion of a three-day practice game at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The squad reads: Leon Johnson (captain), Vishaul Singh (vice-captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Trevon Griffith, Tevin Imlach, Christopher Barnwell, Akshaya Persaud, Anthony Bramble, Romario Shepherd, Veerasammy Permaul, Clinton Pestano, Gudakesh Motie and Keon Joseph.

Secretary of the GCB, Anand Sanasie, told the Guyana Chronicle that while the team is relatively young, they are capable enough of representing the Jaguars at any level and in any format.

DAY AND NIGHT
Johnson said that he expected the first clash, which is a day-and-night fixture to be a bit tricky. He said that the ball tends to do a lot in the nights, but the team will rise to the challenge.

The defending champions will travel to St Lucia for their first match against the Windward Volcanoes from December 6 to 9.