TORONTO, Canada, CMC- Former Guyana and West Indies player Keith Semple has thrown his support behind the Guyana Amazon Warriors to emerge as the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League T20 champion.
The Amazon Warriors have advanced to the first semi-final showdown with arch-rivals Trinidad and Tobago Red Steels on Thursday at the Queen’s Park Oval.
“I think Guyana has a good team to make a big impression in this tournament; they have some real great talents and with the presence of some international representatives, I think they are capable of winning the tournament,” said Semple who now plies his trade in the Premier League Division in Canada.
“With the presence of fast bowler Lasith Malinga, I think that will give the necessary boost ahead of this clash. I haven’t seen much of the games but I am confident they can come out on top”
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The Ramnaresh Sarwan-led franchise started off things auspiciously after defeating the Red Steel by 19 runs and then Jamaica Tallawahs by eight wickets in their first two games, before suffering consecutive losses to the St Lucia Zouks by 26 runs at home and Red Steels by three runs.
The other semi-final contest will be the following night between Barbados Tridents and Jamaica Tallawahs at the same venue before the tournament concludes on Saturday evening also at Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain.
Semple scored 2311 runs in 56 First-Class matches for Guyana, during which time he also played in England. He lived too in the British Virgin Islands for five years before settling down in Canada.
“It was a great privilege to play at the highest level for West Indies,” said the middle-order batsman who also featured in seven one-day internationals for West Indies against hosts South Africa in 1999, but with limited success.
“I was disappointed though not to make a big name but I enjoyed playing for Guyana also and being among some great cricketers”.
