Though without West Indies player Travis Dowlin who is preparing for his upcoming engagement with the West Indies senior team at the Champions Trophy tournament in South Africa next month, the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) will start as favourites to defeat Everest Cricket Club (ECC) in one of two semi-final matches of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) Cellink plus Cup competition set for today.
In the other semi-final Malteenoes Sports Club will oppose the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) at Thomas Lands.
Today’s matches represent the cream of the country’s players (minus those plying their trade in Trinidad) and a number of national and former national players will be on show.
DCC’s team will include the likes of Christopher Barnwell, Derwin Christian, Trevon Garraway, Dennis Squires and Ron Ramnauth.
But all eyes will be on national Under-19 player Trevon Griffith.
Griffith was recently named in a provisional squad of 20 players to prepare for the 2010 International Cricket Council’s World Cup competition.
Griffith, who plays for DCC, was the leading batsman during this year’s U-19 three-day competition where he averaged 40 and had the distinction of recording the first century of the competition.
Everest, however will fancy their chances against DCC and will look to Rajendra Chandrika, a player of undoubted potential, Ryan Rajmangal, Abilash Dookie and Chris Pattadin to post a useful score which their bowlers could defend.
Malteenoes on paper seems to be the stronger team in the other semi-final and should be able to get past GNIC.
The Malteenoes selectors have named a strong side which includes national opening batsman Shemroy Barrington and former West Indies U-19 skipper Steven Jacobs.
Fast bowler Jeremiah Harris, if fully fit could be a handful for the GNIC players.
GNIC has not named a full squad but their team is expected to include Collis Butts, Shawn DeSouza, David Dick, Jermaine Moe, Randy Bourne, Carl Hilliman and Dexter Solomon.
Teams DCC C. Barnwell, D. Christian, T. Garraway, T. Griffith, D. Squires, A. Lyght Jnr., D. Baksh, R. Ramnauth, U. Monroe, P. Bishnu, K. George and L. Bristol.
Everest A. Dookie, R. Chandrika, R. Rajmangal, C. Pattadin, S. Hiralal, T. Gonsalves, J. Perry, C. Hemraj, A. Khan, J. Rasheed, C. Surat, Y. Dyal, M. Ramdin and D. Mangal.
Malteenoes Cricket Club : S. Barrington, D. Narayan, S. Jacobs, O. Forde, D. Ferrier, R. Lindore, D. Vantull, J. Harris, S. Daniels, S. Esau and K. Nedd.
Play begins at 9.30am
