Young TT go after one-day crown

BRIDGETOWN: Despite a few hiccoughs along the way, defending champions Guyana will be looking to claim their third West Indies limited-overs cricket championship in the last four years today when they face Trinidad and Tobago in the Final of this year’s competition. Guyana, under the leadership of left-handed West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, have been installed the odds-on favourites to reclaim the regional limited-overs championship, after they convincingly dismissed Windward Islands in the second semi-final on Thursday by eight wickets.

If nothing else, TT, led by West Indies opening batsman Daren Ganga, showed that they are a very confident team when they brushed aside hosts and tournament favourites Barbados by 11 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis Method in the first semi-final on Thursday. “We know Guyana are a good team, but we are confident in our abilities and the way we have been playing cricket that we can come out victorious,” Ganga told reporters. “We all know what we want and we are all going out there to achieve one common goal and that is to win.” Guyana’s pedigree in the West Indies limited-overs championship is enough to make any side tremble in their boots though. They have easily been the most consistent side, winning the title six times solely in 1980, 1983, 1985, 1998, 2001 and last year, losing twice in the Final, and sharing it twice. “I’m very confident about the Final and I think the entire team is looking forward to it,” Chanderpaul said.

TT have five titles of their own in the bag, the previous one against the Guyanese in Georgetown eight years ago, one joint title, and two losses in the Final. During the preliminary phase of this year’s competition, Guyana got the better of TT and will hold the psychological advantage over them. The match will be decided on which team can cope with the other’s slow bowlers. Both have a variety of trundlers that have wreaked havoc with opposing batsmen in previous matches and will again come into play during the Final. The Kensington Oval pitch being used is the easterly most on the square normally reserved for matches involving the Pickwick Cricket Club which makes its home there and is typically hard and true.

Squads:
TRINIDAD/TOBAGO (from): Daren Ganga (captain), Jonathan Augustus, Shazam Babwah, Samuel Badree, Reyad Emrit, Sherwin Ganga, Imran Jan, Richard Kelly, Gregory Mahabir, Theodore Modeste, Ricardo Powell, Dinesh Ramdin, Earnil Ryan, Rodney Sooklal.
GUYANA (from): Shivnarine Chanderpaul (captain), Krishna Arjune, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Derwin Christian, Esuan Crandon, Lennox Cush, Damodar Daesrath, Narsingh Deonarine, Travis Dowlin, Rayon Griffith, Imran Jefferally, Reon King, Neil McGarrell, Mahendra Nagamootoo.
UMPIRES: Billy Doctrove, Norman Malcolm, TV Replays: Vincent Bullen,
Reserve: Patrick Grazette.
MATCH REFEREE: Carlisle Carter.