After failing to get his way within the hiearchy of the West
Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Chetram Singh has wielded his sword,
as he has done so often, within the Guyana Cricket Board's
corridors of power.
Wanting to show his prowess as to who is the "real boss", there
was no denying that Singh was the influential force in Shivnarine
Chanderpaul being given the Guyana captaincy above Ramnaresh
Sarwan, whom the same Singh had supported as West Indies
vice-captain.
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.
With 34 Tests and 44 One-Day Internationals to his name since
making his international debut in 2000, West Indies Vice Captain
Ramnaresh Sarwan should be the automatic choice to lead Guyana in
the Red Stripe Bowl Regional One-Day cricket competition which
starts October 1.
Sarwan has led Guyana at the under-19 level and was the skipper
when Guyana last won the regional under-19 title played locally in
1997. Sarwan, who became the youngest regional first class player
in 1996, has been exposed to playing under high quality leaders for
Guyana at the first-class level, initially under Roger Harper and
then Carl Hooper.
JOHN AARON reports on the Ed Ahmad New York Caribbean Cricket
Cup
Team Trinidad & Tobago snatched the inaugural Ed Ahmad New
York Caribbean Cricket Cup from Team Windward Islands in a most
decisive manner last Saturday at Idlewild Park in Queens.
In a game played before a sizable crowd and in sunny weather,
Team Windwards won the toss and invited Trinidad & Tobago to
bat. Team Trinidad & Tobago posted 253 for 7 wickets off of 45
overs and then bowled out the Windwards for 199 off of 38.1
overs.
The number of teams taking part in the next Cricket World Cup in
2007 is to be increased to 16, according to a report on BBC
Sport. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to
add two extra teams but will cut the overall length of the
tournament by almost two weeks.
In the 2007 competition, which is due to be staged in the West
Indies (and possibly U.S.), there will be four first round groups,
with the top two from each progressing to a new Super 8 second
round format.
