Defending Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Clico Inter-county under-17 2007 champions Berbice have named a strong 20-man squad to contest this year’s championship slated to commence one week from today.

Amongst those selected are national under-19 fast bowler Keon Joseph who was undoubtedly the fastest bowler in the just- concluded West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)/TCL-sponsored regional under-19 cricket tournament in Barbados along with prolific opening batsman Harrinarine Chattergoon, Dominique Ricky and Joemal La Fleur, the younger brother of national under-19 captain Eugene La Fleur.

Also included are Sharmindra Hardyal, diminutive leg-spinner Gudakesh Motie, Trinson Carmichael, Jamally Odle and Clinton Pestano who have all represented the county at the under-15 level in the past with success.

The junior selection panel felt that this combination is the perfect one, judging from what they saw in the two-day trial match and the 2008 Leslie Amsterdam memorial under-17 inter-zone competitions respectively.

The full 20-man squad selected is: Harrinarine Chattergoon, Gudakesh Motie, Anildat Teajman, Dominique Ricky, Marvin Basdeo, Jamally Odle, Ramesh Naidoo, Calvern Beresford, Joemal La Fleur, Yogeshwar Deonarine, Clinton Pestano, Bisham Persaude, Raffel Estriado, Andrew Dennis, Maheswar Naidoo, Trinson Carmichael, Andy Mohan, Keon Joseph, Sharmindra Hardyal and Verapen Permaul.

Meanwhile, the executives of the Berbice Cricket Board of Control (BCBC) is asking that selectees  assemble at the Rose Hall Welfare ground in Canje on Monday at 12:30 hrs for the commencement of a week-long training programme as they set about the defence of their title.