Griffith lays out blueprint for national selection

- Batsmen need to score big, bowlers must show consistency 

Flashback! Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s defence was much like an armoured truck during his unbeaten 176 which lasted more than eight hours last weekend. (Royston Alkins photo)  
Flashback! Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s defence was much like an armoured truck during his unbeaten 176 which lasted more than eight hours last weekend. (Royston Alkins photo)  

The 2017 – 2018 regional first class session is upon us and a number of locally based players are anxious to perform for their franchise in the ongoing Jaguars Three Day franchise league to either retain their place, or earn a spot to represent the three-time Defending Champions, the Guyana Jaguars.

However, those ambitions will have to be backed up with top performance, according to the chairman of the senior selection panel, Rayon Griffith, who after the second round of the league, hinted at what he expects from the prospects.

“What I’m looking at, is to see, especially batters extend their innings and bat long and to go deep.  I would like to see big hundreds, and even guys to get double [hundreds] like Tag [Tagenarine Chanderpaul ] I thought that he was very fantastic in this innings and young [Tevin] Imlach. Both of them showed patience and that determination to go deep,” Griffith said, after Chanderpaul’s West Demerara team recorded a resounding victory over East Bank in the last round of the Three Day league.

On the bowler’s side, he stated, “For the bowlers as well, I want to see bowlers bowl with control to fields set by their captains.”

Rayon Griffith

Griffith went on to opine that he expects the more experienced guys, the contracted players and those based in the academy, to shoulder the responsibility of assisting the younger players, in whatever way they can during the league.

Some of those younger players he added, could gain selection so long as their performances reach the prescribed mark.

“We always have that in mind, blooding the younger players,” Griffith assured.

“Especially the younger guys who did well in the Under-19 tournaments, as we did with Yadram [Bhaskar] and young Scherfane Rutherford [during the 2016/2017] season.

“We have a lot of young talented guys, and if we go out there and do well, then we can give some of these guys some opportunities. But definitely, we will always look at youngsters and ways to give them opportunities.”

Some of the top performers to date are Ricardo Adams and Anthony Adams of  Essequibo, along with Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Tevin Imlach, the only centurions after two rounds.

Anthony Adams is the only player with a ten-wicket haul and century in the tournament thus far, while Rutherford and Gudakesh Motie have also impressed with the ball, with both of them snaring 10 or more wickets in a match.

The league resumes today with top of the points table, Essequibo taking on East Bank at Everest, West Demerara doing battle with West Berbice at Tuschen, while Georgetown will play East Coast at Lusignan.

The final match in the third round will pit Lower Corentyne against Upper Corentyne at Albion.