By Avenash Ramzan
Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo believes the Guyana Jaguars are in a good place in terms of confidence and in-form players heading into the Regional Super50.
Reigning four-day champions Guyana Jaguars play their first game of the tournament on Wednesday against English county side Kent at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua.
And while the South Americans have been playing outstanding cricket in the Professional Cricket League Regional Four-day, winning the title for the last four years on the trot, the 50-over title has been escaping their grasp.
But the Albion leggie is confident the Leon Johnson-led team can snap the losing streak, especially with some of the four-day players, riding on a high, currently part of the set-up.
“It’s very important (having the four-day players) because the younger players, especially Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Chandrapaul Hemraj and the others are currently doing well and they would bring that confidence into the one-day set-up,” Bishoo reasoned.
He continued, “As I said, they are young players and they really want to do well in this format of the game. We also want to do well as a team this year because over the years we’ve been struggling in the one-day format so the team is in a good place at the moment and we’re really looking forward to the tournament.”
Chairman of Selectors, Rayon Griffith, is also elated to have Bishoo, the region’s number one leggie, back in the fray after he missed the entire four-day season due to West Indies commitments.
“Very important to have your experienced spinner who is playing for West Indies and who should be part of the set-up in West Indies one-day squad. It’s going to be a very big boost for us and I think within the spin department with him and (Veerasammy) Permaul it’s going to be very good, and young Ramaal Lewis as well,” Griffith noted.
Guyana last won the Regional 50-over title in 2005 under Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s captaincy when they defeated Barbados in fading light at Bourda in the KFC Cup final.
GUYANA JAGUARS SUPER50 SQUAD: Ricardo Adams, Devendra Bishoo, Anthony Bramble, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Leon Johnson, Ramaal Lewis, Keemo Paul, Veerasammy Permaul, Clinton Pestano, Raymon Reifer, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd.
