TT and Guyana in key Under-19 battle

KINGSTON: Trinidad and Tobago, the defending champions, and Guyana will meet in a top-of-the-table clash in Zone “B” when the final round of preliminary matches in the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 three-day cricket challenge opens today. Both TT and Guyana have 32 points with outright wins against Leeward Islands and Bermuda, and will be looking to come out on top in a bid to head Zone “B”.

The potent TT spinning quartet headed by Young West Indies left-armer Rishi Bachan and including Magnum Nanan, captain Kavesh Kantasingh and newcomer Ansil Bhagan will be the twin-island republic’s main force for an outright win. TT’s batting has also proven to be quite strong with Samuel Felix, Petrock Nicholas, William Perkins and Aaron Ragoonath likely to offer great support to the bowling with competitive totals. Guyana will depend on skipper Zamal Khan, Zaheer Mohammed, Leon Johnson and Gajanand Singh for all-round winning efforts.

In the other match in Zone “B”, Leewards and Bermuda, both without a point, meet at Chedwin Park and this match will be of academic interest. In Zone “A”, leaders Jamaica will again depend on prolific run-getter Xavier Marshall to lead them to a huge total against Windward Islands at Kensington Park. The Windwards are an unpredictable bunch and the home team will have to bring their “A” match to secure an outright win to ensure they top the zone, as second-placed Barbados look likely to secure full points against the lesser-fancied Rest of the Americas at Sabina Park.