The Guyana Cricket Board has scheduled two four-day practice matches to help the Guyana Harpy Eagles prepare for the regional four-day season starting on February 1. The first match will be played on January 12 and the second match on January 17 at the National Stadium, Providence.
According to the statement issued by Guyana Cricket Board, their senior national selection panel chaired by Ravindranath Seeram selected the two identified teams to participate in the first match.
GCB further emphasized that Leon Johnson, Clinton Pestano, Keon Joseph, Quentin Sampson, Steven Sankar Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, and Romario Shepherd are not available for the first match.
However, the two playing teams have been named as Veerasammy Permaul XI and Tagenarine Chanderpaul XI. The Permaul XI is led by Veerasammy Permaul and includes stars like Mathew Nandu, Tevin Imlach, and Junior Sinclair.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul XI led by veteran batsman Shivanrine Chandrapaul’s son Tagenarine Chanderpaul, and features Chandrapaul Hemraj, Kevin Sinclair, Gudakesh Motie.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul XI: Tagenarine Chanderpaul (C), Kemol Savory, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Mavindra Dindyal, Anthony Bramble, Kevin Sinclair, Alvin Mohabir, Gudakesh Motie, Antony Adams, Shamar Joseph, Sylus Tyndall, Demetri Cameron, Jonathan Rampersaud, Zynul Ramsammy
Veerasammy Permaul XI: Veerasammy Permaul (C), Mathew Nandu, Tevin Imlach, Kevlon Anderson, Akshaya Persaud, Rampertab Ramnauth, Shamar Yearwood, Junior Sinclair, Ashmead Nedd, Ronsford Beaton, Isai Thorne, Nial Smith, Richie Looknauth, Garfield Benjamin
On Tuesday, players faced the requisite yo-yo test with the aim of reaching the minimum 40 points. After some players struggled to reach that mark last year, Head Coach Rayon Hercules pointed to a big improvement this time around.
“There are more of the fitness tests being done and it helps because you do more tests and the levels go up a bit and the guys know how to plan to and know to improve on their weaknesses.”
The first two rounds of the regional championships will be held from February 1 to February 11 in Grenada and Antigua. The tournament will then take a break and resume on March 15 for the final three rounds until April 1 in Trinidad and Tobago.
This will be followed by a new domestic red-ball triangular tournament, the Headley-Weeks tournament, which will consist of three four-day matches and will be played from April 18 to May 6 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Team Headley and Team Weekes (named in honor of George Headley and Everton Weekes) will be selected from the best performers and starting West Indies Test XI for the 2023 West Indies Championship. The new West Indies Academy will provide the third team.
However, an issue arose over the hosting of the tournament, former West Indies opener Philo Wallace expressed displeasure over Barbados not being selected to host any matches in the 2023 CWI Four-Day Championship.
Shimron her yet to play