The Albion Community Centre Cricket Club (ACCCC) says it is disappointed over the non-selection of Berbician Jonathan Foo from the national one-day squad named to contest the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board’s NAGICO Super50 limited overs tournament and is seeking an explanation from the national selection panel.
The national selection panel recently named a 14-man squad to contest the tournament which begins this week and Foo was not included in the side.
Guyana will compete in Group B against the Jamaica Scorpions, the Windward Islands Vol-canoes and the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in St. Kitts/Nevis.
“The Albion Commu-nity Centre Cricket Club (ACCCC) wishes to express its extreme disappointment at the non-selection of Jonathan Foo in the Guyana Jaguars’ Team for the upcoming Super 50 Cricket Tournament,” a press release from the club stated.
According to the club, Foo should have been an automatic selection based on his performances in the recent Cricket Guyana Incorporated (CGI) Local Franchise League which was a criteria for selection.
The club pointed out that not only was Foo the leading run-scorer in the competition he was one of only six batsmen to have the distinction of scoring a century in the competition.
“Without any doubt, the 25-year-old Foo should have been an automatic choice in the team since he was the leading run scorer in the recent Local Franchise League where the chalked up 359 runs including a century and two half-centuries, representing the Upper Corentyne Franchise,” the release pointed out.
Foo, who has represented the West Indies A team, also scored 67 during one of the Guyana Jaguars’ match simulation practice sessions prior to the selection of the team and an unbeaten 28 in one of two practice matches, the release added.
“With Royston Crandon and Romario Shepard being included in the team primarily as a result of their respective performances in the Local Franchise League, it is quite mindboggling why Foo’s performances were not taken into consideration, more so since he was a member of last year’s team,” the release stated.
Shepherd, a fast bowler is one of three new faces on the team the others being new bowling sensation Gudakesh Motie and Essequibo hard hitting batsman Kevin Boodie who has scored a limited overs double century for Essequibo against the national U19 squad in the Inter County competition in 2014.
“The Alion Community Centre Cricket Club wishes to remind the selectors and the administrators of Guyana’s cricket that selections must be based purely on merit and performance and Foo has undoubtedly fulfilled such criteria as his performance has been remarkable not only the Local Franchise League but at the first division level for his Club.
“This is unbelievable and as such, the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club is hereby demanding that the Guyana Jaguars’ selectors provide an explanation to the cricketing public as to the reason for Foo’s non-selection,” the release ended.
The Guyana One-Day squad named for the regional limited overs tournament reads: Assad Fudadin, Kevon Boodie, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Leon Johnson, (Captain), Vishaul Singh, Christopher Barnwell (Vice-captain), Raymon Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Steven Jacobs, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Paul Wintz, Romario Shepherd and Royston Crandon.
Devendra Bishoo and Rajendra Chandrika, who are on duty with the West Indies team in Australia will be selected once available.
