Paul, Thorne in for Chanderpaul, Lovell as Harpy Eagles take on Volcanoes

Points leaders Guyana Harpy Eagles have made two changes to the squad to face Windward Islands Volcanoes in fifth round action of the West Indies Four-Day Championship, starting March 12 at the National Stadium, Providence.

All-rounder Keemo Paul and fast bowler Isai Thorne have been drafted in, replacing opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who is nursing a groin injury, and fast bowler Thaddeus Lovell.

Paul, 27, is in line to play his first match this season, having last played First-Class cricket for Guyana in March 2023.

In that match against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Paul made 46 and picked up 3-37 and 2-73 in Harpy Eagles’ 143-run win.

Thorne, meanwhile, returns after recuperating from an ankle injury, which has kept him out of action since the second round of the Four-Day Championship.

In the opening match of the season against Barbados Pride at Providence in January, the former West Indies Under-19 speedster bowled just seven overs, conceding 34 runs without picking up a wicket.

For Chanderpaul, who made his season’s best of 74 against Jamaica Scorpions in the last round, this is his second injury in the season, having suffered a split webbing on his hand.

That injury forced him to miss the third round day/night game against West Indies Academy at Providence.

Twenty-year-old Lovell, who made his First-Class debut this season, is yet to pick up a wicket, having gone 0-15 against West Indies Academy and 0-18 against Jamaica Scorpions.

The squad reads: Raymond Perez, ⁠Matthew Nandu, ⁠Kevlon Anderson, ⁠Tevin Imlach, ⁠Kemol Savory, Kevin Sinclair, ⁠Ronaldo Alimohamed, ⁠Veerasammy Permaul, ⁠Gudakesh Motie, ⁠Nial Smith, ⁠Keemo Paul, ⁠Richie Looknauth and ⁠Isai Thorne.

The Harpy Eagles sit top of the table with 81.2 points, garnered from three wins, a draw and significant bonus points.

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, the only other unbeaten team in the tournament, are second on 77.8 points.