8 Berbicians in Guyana’s senior female 14-member squad

– Former Windies player Munroe on stand-by

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) earlier this week officially announced their 14-member squad to play in the 2019 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Female Regional tournaments.
The tournaments will be played in two formats: T20 Blaze and 50 Over format will commence from Sunday March 17, with all matches being played in Guyana. The 14 players selected will be engaged

in a training camp from Monday March 11, 2019.
In the 14-member squad that was announced, there are eight Berbice female players, seven of whom have had Regional experience at the senior level. Newbie Lafona Gilgeous, a top order batter, is the only Berbician that has received her maiden call-up at the senior level, after representing Guyana three years at the under 19 level.
Additionally, six stand-by players were announced, and the notable stand-by player is former Windies Women’s player Subrina Munroe, who played 23 ODIs and 21 T20Is. The 33-year-old right arm fast bowler played in the recently concluded GCB inter-county tournament in the star-studded Berbice team.
The 14-member Guyana squad features six female players from Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club. Those players are: Top order wicket-keeper batter Melanie Henry; Captain Shemaine Campbelle; flamboyant batter Sheneta Grimmond; fast bowling all-rounder Shabika Gajnabi; left arm seamer Erva Giddings, and off-spinner Plaffiana Millington.
The other two Berbicians to complete the eight players selected are the Tucber Park duo Tremayne Smartt and teenager Lafona Gilgeous.
Along with Munroe on the stand-by list, Dian Prahalad and Marian Samaroo are the other Berbician stand-by players.
The Berbice Cricket Board have made their concerns public on their official social network page, whereon they stated their profound disgust at the non-selection of Subrina Munroe.
The BCB have also advised the former Windies player to stay focused. Earlier in the month, BCB boss Hilbert Foster spoke to this reporter in an exclusive interview, expressing his disappointment at the GCB not hosting any of these matches in the ancient county. His sentiments remained unchanged when it was known that the official squad, which features eight Berbicians, will not be able to play in front of their family members and friends.
The tournament, featuring Barbados, Jamaica, Windward Islands, Leeward Islands, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, is expected to conclude on Thursday April 4. All of the top-class Windies Women’s player will showcase their talents at venues across Demerara.
The venues confirmed to host these matches are GCC Bourda, Everest Cricket Club, Enmore, and the National Stadium at Providence. (Brandon Corlette)