GCB Overrules Captaincy Recommendation
The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) on Monday pulled a surprise when it overruled the recommendation of Ramnaresh Sarwan as Guyana's Red Stripe Bowl captain and named Shivnarine Chanderpaul to lead the side.
Sources close to the GCB indicated that the three-man selection panel recommended the 22-year-old Sarwan to replace Carl Hooper in this year's tournament but the GCB executive, headed by President Chetram Singh, ignored the nomination.
The announcement of Chanderpaul as captain instead of Sarwan comes as a shock to many who expected the GCB to use the opportunity this year to all the West Indies vice captain to gain valuable experience leading the Guyana side.
The relegation of Sarwan to the vice captaincy position prompted widespread speculation that Chetram Singh's ongoing feud with the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) was the reason for the GCB executive overruling the nomination of the national selectors. The Demerara board had earlier named Sarwan to lead its side in the inter-county competition and the latest twist signals another round of political one-upsmanship.
Singh was unavailable for comment Monday.
The 29-year-old Chanderpaul, who led Guyana in four matches in the 2000 regional, has appeared in 66 test matches since 1994 and also has 132 one-day international and 147 first class matches under his belt but has been overlooked for the job of West Indies Vice-Captain even though he is the most experienced player in the side after skipper Brian Lara.
It is common knowledge around cricket circles in Guyana that Chanderpaul was unhappy with the choice of Sarwan as West Indies vice captain.
Apart from the captaincy the 14-man squad named by the selection panel of Joe Solomon, Lennox Hunte and Alfred Maycock is a solid one with opener Ryan Ramdass, who scored two half-centuries in the inter-county competition, first class opener Krishna Arjune and first class fast bowler Reon Thomas, being the only players in the squad without regional one-day experience.
Sewnarine Chattergoon, Ramdass and Arjune are the three openers selected while the middle order is very powerful although Carl Hooper, whom the GCB has not heard from concerning his availability, was not included in the squad.
Chanderpaul and Sarwan are the test batsmen in the squad while out of form leg spinner Nagamootoo who looked a shadow of himself in the inter-county competition, and left- arm spinner McGarell, are the bowlers with test experience among the 14 players named to travel to Antigua on September 28.
Reon King is unavailable due to overseas commitments while Colin Stuart has taken a self imposed exile from cricket leaving Reon Griffth, Eusan Crandon and Thomas as the pacers selected.
Exciting left-hander Narsingh Deonarine is arguable among the best six batsmen in the Caribbean and his place in the middle order should give him an ideal chance to stake a claim for a West Indies selection in the near future.
Talented right-hander Travis Dowlin has another opportunity to revive his flagging career while Lennox Cush who will fill the role as all-rounder, make up the rest of the middle order.
Vishal Nagamootoo retains his place as wicket keeper in a strong side which should be favored to advance to the "final four" stage of the competition in Jamaica. Guyana is scheduled to play four matches in the first stage of the 10-team competition and come up against the West Indies under-19 team in their first match.
The Guyana 14-man squad is: S. Chanderpaul (Capt.), R.Sarwan (V/Capt.), S. Chattergoon, K. Arjune, R. Ramdas, N. Deonarine, L. Cush, T. Dowlin, M. Nagamootoo, V. Nagamootoo, N. McGarell, R. Griffith, E. Crandon, R. Thomas.