Defending champions Georgetown under the leadership of national Under-19 opener Trevon Griffith will oppose West Demerara while East Bank and East Coast will do battle at the Everest and Lusignan cricket grounds respectively today.
Both matches which will be 50 overs–a side contests, form the opening round of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB)/German Restaurant/ W&H Rambarran sponsored Inter-association Under-19 cricket competition which was scheduled to commence on Monday but had to be rescheduled due to the weather.
Apart from Griffith, the balanced Georgetown line-up includes players in the calibre of national under-19 spinner Totaram Bishun, Under-17 fast bowler Seon Daniels, West Indies Under-15 right arm leg spinner Amir Khan and national Under-17 skipper in wicket keeper Dexter Solomon.
Missing from the lineup is national under-19 opener Jeetendra Sookhdeo who sustained a back injury and is presently recuperating.
But even though they have to make do without Sookhdeo, the defending champions still have the services of openers Ryan Rajmangal and Ovid Richardson, along with Dayanand Roopnarine, vice captain Ranole Bourne and the talented Delon Fernandes.
Add all rounder Carlos La Rose, Solomon, and fast bowlers Andre Stoll, Carl Rambharose and Daniels who are all worthy customers with the bat and certainly West Demerara’s will have their work cut out for them.
The bowling lies on the capable shoulders of Daniels, Stoll and Rambharose, with amicable support from the spinners in Khan, Bishun and Ricardo Devers, who have all worn the national colours at one level or the other.
In the other match, East Coast will be looking to stake a strong claim to this year’s title when they face East Bank at Lusignan.
They will be led by the hard hitting Rajendra Nikbarran who will be receiving valuable support from his vice captain and Demerara Under-17 player Arif Habib along with Keon Franklyn, Wasim Mustapha and leg spinner Poorandra Jaigobin.
Whilst not much is known of the East Bank team which includes Pernell London, Jagdesh Bishun, Vishal Sarjoo and Naipaul Ragunandan, East Coast should not expect their opponents to roll over easily, as it is the underdogs who create the upsets in matches such as these.
The final eleven for the respective matches will be selected from:
Georgetown from: Trevon Griffith, Ranole Bourne, Ovid Richardson, Dayanand Roopnarine, Ryan Rajmangal, Delon Fernandes, Carlos La Rose, Dexter Solomon, Seon Daniels, Andre Stoll, Carl Rambharose, Totaram Bishun, Amir Khan and Ricardo Devers.
East Coast from: Rajendra Nikbarran, Arif Habib, Delroy Charles, Preechan Lalta, Keon Franklyn, Leon Morgan, Permanand Rampersaud, Alex Halley, Wasim Mustapha, Poorandra Jaigobin, Amir Mohammed, Jamal Taylor, Yashpaul Ramsaywack and Royston Simon.
East Bank from: Avesh Persaud, Mark Rhobe, Shameer Fazal, Naipaul Ragunandan, Jagdesh Bishun, Sheldon Agard, Ricky Sargeant, Roman Daniels, Pernell London, Harry Persaud, Jason Henry, Vickram Debydial and Vishal Sarjoo.
West Demerara from: Ravindra Ramnarine, Yodeshin Parbhudin, Jagdesh Persaud, Doesh Sukhu, Calvin Lindo, Khanisham Mahabal, Kishan Shivgobin, Ramnarine Mangra, Yuraj Motilall, Parmanand Jagunauth, Vickash Dhaniram, Brian Deodat, Amir Khan, Mega Dhanpaul and Amir Khan.
All matches will commence at 9.30 am.
