(See below press statement by the Guyana Cricket Board on the addition of four Guyanese to the West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 High-Performance Camp, currently in Antigua)
Fruitful consultations between President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Bissoondyal Singh and Cricket West Indies (CWI) have resulted in four (4) Guyanese Under-19 players being added to the squad of 56 players currently in training in Antigua.
Mr. Singh expressed his gratitude to CWI President Ricky Skerritt and Vice- President Dr. Kishore Shallow for their favorable consideration to include these players.
President Singh noted that due to the absence of Regional Under-19 Tournaments in 2020 and 2021 that a challenge developed in identifying the best regional players to represent West Indies on their tour of England 2021 and for the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2022.
Chairman Andre Percival and his Junior Panel selected Marvan Prashad, Alvin Mohabir, Zachary Jodah and Jonathan Rampersaud. Rampersaud who was playing minor league cricket, is scheduled to arrive in Antigua from the United States of America on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, while the other three players will arrive in Antigua the following day.
Given the limited flights available due to COVID-19 and its impact, the GCB decided to have the players travel to Antigua via New York to ensure they arrive at the earliest opportunity.
The CWI’s Director of Cricket, Mr. Jimmy Adams indicated that the four players will be taken through special assessment exercises prior to August 20, 2021. However, the players will first have to satisfy the COVID-19 measures that are in place under the guidance of Dr. Oba Gulston, CWI’s Head of Sports Science.
These measures are expected to see the players spending a specified quarantine period prior to their assessment. Thereafter, the four players will be able to commence official training.
However, the scheduled arrival of the four players will make it difficult for them to participate in trial matches geared at the selection for the UK Under-19 Tour.
The Team Management will conduct skills assessment of the players under the supervision of CWI Head of Talent Identification Mr. Robert Haynes, with a view of being drafted into the ongoing training programme for the ICC Under-19 World Cup scheduled to be played in the West Indies in January and February 2022.
President Bissoondyal Singh expressed gratitude to all those who assisted to ensure these four young Guyanese get the opportunity to showcase their talent.
