All-rounder Steven Jacobs says he expects East Bank Demerara to hit top form as they progress in the ongoing Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Jaguars Franchise League Three-Day tournament.
East Bank and Georgetown were locked in low-scoring but seemingly interesting match with all the makings of a thriller heading into the final day before rain ruined the party Sunday last.
Speaking with Stabroek Sport yesterday, the off-spinning right-handed batsman who claimed three wickets and made a few solid starts with the bat, admitted that more work was needed by both himself and team, moving forward.
“We played some good cricket in patches but with time I think we could improve as a team and be more consistent. My performance with the bat in the first innings wasn’t what I wanted so I would have to get it right in the next game.”
An ex-West Indies Under-19 and Combined Campuses & Colleges Captain, the experienced Guyana player said he believed that to stay alive over the next few weeks teams will need to go straight for the kill in terms of acquiring maximum points.
“Teams need to play consistent cricket to gain batting and bowling points also with an outright win because of the points systems”.
Another key factor for all teams is the weekly changes in venues which could either make or break a team’s momentum according to Jacobs.
For example, Lower Corentyne showed that they could bring the heat straight in their opponent’s backyard when they mauled Essequibo by an innings and 122 runs at Tusche.
The Vishaul Singh-led East Bank also showed that they could have done well to possibly upstage Georgetown in the backyard at Everest.
“These weekly changes are good because it provides an opportunity for players to play in different conditions”, said Jacobs regarding the venue changes.
He continued “It will benefit some teams more but again you have to make use when it’s in your favor and gain the necessary points”.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors players also spoke on the composition of the team and some of the younger players who he thinks will make an impact for East Bank.
“We have a some good players who played for Guyana at the young level and also players that are currently playing for Guyana now, but players like Danny Narayan, Ryan Shaun and others are some of our players to watch out for”.
Wrapping up his interview with this newspaper, the Malteenoes player identified consistency as well as frequent training are the goals to strive towards.
“Our plan is to gain points and play consistent cricket for the rest of the tournament, also we are training daily to improve on our skills,” he ended.
