Guyana, Leewards clash in first ‘semi’

The two sides enter the Final Four competition against the backdrop of a rare tied match in the preliminary competition in Barbados, when the Leewards chased down a formidable total of 291 to earn a share of the points.

After that match, the two teams went in different directions. Guyana continued to play solid cricket that earned them the top spot in the preliminary stage, but they are not taking anything for granted.

"It is good that we topped the preliminary competition, but that’s behind us now," Guyana and West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul told CMC CricketPlus on the eve of the match.

"We now have to concentrate on this semi-final. It is good that we are playing at home, but we have to go out there, and play proper cricket.

"We cannot expect that though we have the crowd support and knowledge of the conditions, it is going to fall in our laps. We have to get the job done.

"I think it will be a very competitive match, based on the tie that we had in the preliminary stages, but we will have to improve on our fielding and bowling, if we are going to win."

This has been Guyana’s third straight regional limited-overs final, and Chanderpaul believes the type of cricket his country plays is suited to this form of the game.

"I think we have good all-round strength in our side," he said. "We have a good combination in our batting and our bowling, as well as youth and experience.

"I think team unity has often played a major part in our success, since everyone is pulling for each other, and helping to motivate each other."

In the preliminary competition, Guyana beat Barbados by three runs under the Duckworth-Lewis Method, tied with Leewards, then defeated Jamaica by seven runs, Windwards by 55 runs, and Trinidad and Tobago by eight wickets.

After the tied match, Leewards’ performances fell away to the point that Windward Islands beat them in the last qualifying match on Sunday to seal their place ahead of Jamaica.

"The reason for us falling away towards the end of the preliminary competition was that one of our strike bowlers had a minor injury, and we rested him," Leewards captain Sylvester Joseph said.

"Hopefully, he should be back for this match, and we can come out fighting.

We are playing against Guyana, and they always play good cricket when they are on home soil, so it is important that we come out, and give a whole-hearted effort."

For two other important reasons, Joseph, also known as "Bouncing," is thrilled that his side has reached the Final Four of the competition.

First, they failed to make the cut last year, and this is the first competition that they have contested without Stuart Williams and Ridley Jacobs, two stalwarts of Leewards’ cricket.

"I think there is a great deal of unity in our camp, and we believe in each other’s ability," he said.

"We have been coming out and playing positive cricket, but believing in ourselves that we can do what it takes to win, no matter what the situation."

Leewards started off with a nine-wicket victory over Jamaica, then tied with Guyana, had a two-run win over TT, before suffering a 17-run defeat to Barbados, and a six-wicket loss to the Windwwards. The winner of today’s encounter will earn a place in the Final on Sunday at the same venue against the winner of Friday’s second semi-final between Barbados and Windwards also to be contested at Bourda.

The two semi-finals and the Final will be carried "live" on CMC television and CricketPlus radio partners throughout the region.