..Adams unlucky not to gain selection
By Sean Devers
AS Guyana Harpy Eagles prepare to depart on January 30 for Antigua to face back-to-back defending Champions Barbados, from February 1-4 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium before traveling to Grenada to oppose the Windwards from February 8-11, their major concern is their batting.
Both practice matches ended in three days with only new comer Kemol Savory scoring a century.
Added to their batting woes Guyana will be without last season’s top two leading batters; Tagenarine Chanderpaul (439 runs Ave 73.16) and Vishal Singh (Ave 52.40).
Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Keemo Paul (20 wickets last year), Romario Shepherd and Gudakesh Motie are all unavailable.
The only experienced players in the side are Veerasammy Permaul (129 FC games), Leon Johnson (122 FC games) and Anthony Bramble (60 FC games) but all three are past their best days and unlikely to be picked for the West Indies.
This situation makes it harder for the selectors since even with a full strength batting line-up, Guyana, who won five consecutive First-Class titles from 2015-2019, failed to win any since the pandemic.
Matthew Nandu and Kemol Savory picked themselves from their performance in the practice matches, as did Berbice pacer Shamar Joseph.
Although left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd is being looked at as a prospect for West Indies, his performances in the two practice matches did not warrant his selection ahead of Anthony Adams, especially since Motie would be unavailable.
Nedd would most likely be picked for the Academy X1 in the tri-team tournament after the completion of the short Regional tournament that is limited to just three Islands.
Adams, takes regular wickets for Police and took more than Nedd in the practice matches which was supposedly used to pick the team. Added to this, Adams was a part of the squad last year.
Chanderpaul Hemraj is arguable the best batter in the team and has all the shots. However, he needs to curb his instinct to hit every ball for boundaries and get out when well set.
This can be said of most of batters in the team while Johnson, who has just six First-Class centuries and an Average of 32.8, must lead from the front with the bat while the GCB needs to start grooming a Captain to take over from him.
A lot will depend on Tevin Imlach who looked good last without getting ‘big’ scores.
Despite the loss of Paul, Rutherford, Shepherd and Motie, Guyana bowling attack of pacers Nail Smith, Ronsford Beaton, Shamar Joseph and spinners Permaul, Kevin Sinclair and Ashmead Nedd, should be the strength of the team.
Although Richie Looknauth is not afraid to flight the ball and is a more attacking off-spinner than Sinclair, who is more defence but excellent for ‘white ball’ cricket, his selection was expected.
He earns his pick in the Four-Day team due to his ability with the bat which he demonstrated in the last practice match with an unbeaten 74.
Because the pool of quality players is so small, players like Akshaya Persaud has been picked for his potential and flair despite not scoring big scores consistently.
Full team Read: Leon Johnson (Captain), Veersammy Permaul (V/Captain), Chanderpaul Hemraj, Matthew Nandu, Tevin Imlach, Kemol Savory, Anthony Bramble
, Kevin Sinclair, Akshaya Persaud, Nail Smith, Ronsford Beaton, Ashmead Nedd, Shamar Joseph.
