Head Coach of the Guyana Under-15 team Julian Moore is confident in his team’s chances of regaining the Cricket West Indies Regional U15 title as the tournament bowls off from today in Antigua.
Speaking exclusively with Stabroek Sport ahead of their first match against Jamaica at Ball Beef, Liberta, today, Moore, who is returning to the helm of the National U15 after four years, said he thinks the team is a good team.
“The team has a lot of talent which forms the basis of a good all-round team,” he said.
Moore, who was with the team when they won the titles in 2014-2015 added that the team was in good spirits having come off a good Inter-County U15 tournament, followed up with “an excellent display” in the U17 Inter-County tournament where they defeated Essequibo and fell two runs short of victory against eventual champions, Demerara.
This form, Moore, a level three coach, positioned, will help the team hit the ground running as they face a very competitive Jamaica side.
The Head Coach, who also heads the National U19s added that experience is a key in the tournament and pointed out a few players who will have to take the centre stage in this aspect.
Moore says that young fast bowler, Isai Thorne and left-hand spinner and captain, Zachary Jodah will be two integral members of the bowling department while Mavindra Dindyal, whom he credited as “arguably the best batsman in the region at this level,” will be able to lend his experience to the rest of the team.
Meanwhile, Jodah said he is expecting the team to do well and take one step further to the title after coming off on a high from last year where they finished second to Barbados with Dindyal scoring 98.
The captain explained that the team is capable of making that step this year since there is more unity among the players, having gelled well and a better mix of players that form a balance.
However, Jodah related that their first match will not be a walk over and is calling on the players to stick to the basics.
He wants the players to tighten up in the fielding department and not give away too many extras. He also wants the batsmen to bat sensibly and the bowlers to stick to the game plan by bowling to the respective field settings.
