Coach of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) President’s XI team Julian Moore has lauded the determination and teamwork exhibited by his players who finished second in the recently concluded GCB Senior Inter-County four-day tournament.
Moore, a former youth cricketer who was tasked with the coaching the reserve President’s XI squad, told Stabroek Sport that he was impressed with the display of talent and focus. The squad comprised players from across the three counties who did not make their respective county teams and were pushed together to make up a reserve team. The diverse group surpassed expectations and convincingly thrashed Essequibo in the second round, prior to their first round draw against tournament winners Berbice.
Asked if he was surprised that his players gelled quickly and were effective in their approach, Moore said:“Not really! Most of the guys were from Demerara and were accustomed to training and playing against each other in clubs, which made it easier for them to form a unit.”
He also noted that the group was eager to make a point on the field after having been overlooked for their county teams.
Skipper of the President’s XI team Vishal Singh, who ended the tournament with 244 runs, the most amassed by any batsman, was outstanding among the players.
“Vishal batted with maturity and it was commendable the way he carried the team throughout the tournament,” Moore said.
Other performers such as former Test batsman Ryan Ramdass, opener Robin Bacchus, all-rounder Shaquille Williams and wicket-keeper Jason Sinclair were all impressive with the bat, each scoring half-centuries. The experienced Berbician right-hander Sinclair, who has been knocking on the door for sometime, also came in for high praise. Moore applauded the way in which he approached the game after Sinclair brought up his maiden inter-county half-century against Essequibo.
A slim margin of three points separated the eventual winners and the second-placers, but Moore hinted that the third round which was held on three of the allotted four days was a contributing factor.
“We were looking forward to four days against Demerara hoping to come out with more points,” he said, admitting that they felt “a bit undone.” While he admitted that his team would have loved to take home the winning trophy, Moore said he is proud of their achievements and pleased with their focus towards the game.
