Barnwell dropped; Paul gets maiden call-up

By Avenash Ramzan

Former West Indies Under-19 all-rounder Keemo Paul has been given a maiden call-up to the Guyana Jaguars squad for the sixth round game against Jamaica Scorpions in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League Four-day competition.

The energetic 19-year-old from Essequibo was part of the West Indies Under-19 team that won the Youth World Cup last year. He also featured in the West Indies Youth team that competed in the recently concluded Super50 competition. In the Super50, he made 139 runs from 11 innings, including a highest of 72 against English county side, Kent Spitfire.

He also picked up 10 wickets at 27 apiece, with a best of 4-31 against Windward Islands Volcanoes. Paul had a four-wicket haul against Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

Another budding all-rounder, Romario Shepherd, has been drafted into the squad, which leaves on Tuesday morning for the Reggae Island to face the host and tournament leaders Jamaica Scorpions from March 10. Shepherd, who has represented Guyana in one List A game, is yet to make his First-Class debut.

Misfiring all-rounder Christopher Barnwell and off-spinner Eon Hooper have been dropped from the last squad that played against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Providence, paving the way for Paul and Shepherd.

In his four games in the competition, Barnwell accumulated 109 runs from six innings at an average of 18. He made a highest of 61, and his six wickets came at 30 apiece. Hooper played just one game during the first half of the League, finishing with 0-47 off 19 overs.

The game is a top-of-the-table clash. Scorpions, with three wins and a loss and a draw each, have 67.6 points, while Jaguars, with two wins, one loss and two drawn encounters, are in second spot on 64.4 points.

Barbados Pride (47.2), Windward Islands Volcanoes (41.6), Leeward Islands Hurricanes (39.4) and Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (35.6) complete the table.

The Guyana Jaguars squad, released by the Guyana Cricket Board on Saturday afternoon, reads: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Shimron Hetmyer, Leon Johnson (Captain), Vishaul Singh, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Romario Shepherd, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Keon Joseph, Rajendra Chandrika and Keemo Paul.