While many cricket fans were probably hoping that the new Caribbean whipping boys, Guyana, would have benefited from their three test players in the fourth round of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) sponsored regional four-day tournament this will not be so.

Chetram Singh

President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Chetram Singh, who is also a director of the WICB, told Stabroek Sports yesterday that based upon consultation with the senior selectors, it was decided that the matches between Guyana and the Leeward Islands and the first test between West Indies and England were too close.

Singh pointed out that the Guyana/Leeward Islands game starts on January 30 and ends on February 2 while the first test starts two days later on Feb. 4.

This Singh said left only one day in between the two matches.

He added that after consultation with the senior selectors he was told that the players selected for the first test will be needed to be encamped some days before.

He said that presently the West Indies selectors were yet to name a test squad for a match which starts in exactly 14 days time but said it was his opinion that both Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan, who are regulars in the senior team, will be selected.

The case of out-of-form WI opener Sewnarine Chattergoon is slightly different and Singh said that having spoken to the local selectors, Chattergoon should be opening the batting for Guyana unless the West Indies selectors have plans to keep him (Chattergoon) in the squad.

Chattergoon, who had a wretched tour of New Zealand, scoring 51 runs in three innings during the test series at an average of 17.00

In the One Day Internationals he scored 38 runs from four matches at an average of 12.66.