NEW Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Junior Chairman of National Selectors, Andre Percival, said he wants to create a pressure-free, hands-on environment as he undertakes his new role in developing and preserving the next generation of players. The Berbician spoke exclusively with Chronicle Sport yesterday, as he congratulated the new executive body for all its hard work leading up to this new era in local cricket. The former all-rounder said that among his new goals as Junior Selector is that of ensuring the youngsters are protected and eventually moulded into the model cricketers they ought to be. With the current cricket landscape being successful, given the number of Guyanese players both male and female, who have represented Guyana or the West Indies over the past 8 years, Percival said it was important to maintain such high cricket standards and equally important to further ensure that selection is fully based on performance, fitness and dedication towards the sport.

“We will be looking at selection from the level that players will be selected based on performance. Players’ performances must count. Once they play well they will be selected. That will be my ploy,”said the 46-year-old. “I wouldn’t pressure them because I know what it takes, so what I’m going to do is just allow them to have a free mind, play their roles and make the best of it. I will let them play their games, perform, whether it be to score runs or take wickets; whichever they are selected for,”. Percival added. Regarding women’s cricket, Percival, a former national women’s coach, said that a complete overhaul will be needed. He noted that in the past, it has proved difficult to round up 20 odd females who are genuinely willing and eager to learn/play cricket.

The ex-West Indies Under-19 skipper further added that when players are discovered, it’s maybe just a handful of ladies who are fully equipped to play, thus lessening the number of women-to-men ratio of cricketers. However, the former Guyana Under-19 captain said that the women will have their time to evolve now with plans to target them at the club levels before transitioning to intercounty or the national scene. Looking ahead, Percival said there is a lot of work to be done and with COVID-19 still wreaking havoc, the new GCB will have to navigate throughout the obstacles which exist, courtesy of the pandemic, additionally waiting on further clearance from Cricket West Indies (CWI) regarding the Green Light going forward. (Clifton Ross)