GAW players’ pre-tournament camp to commence on Friday
Build-up to 2019 Hero CPL…
By Brandon Corlette
The biggest party in sport, the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), is just around the block, and the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) are in full preparation mode. On Friday, August 30, the players will assemble at their home fortress, the Guyana National Stadium (GNS), for their training camp.
Captain Shoaib Malik in sizzling form in his 2018 warm-up
GAW will open their 2019 CPL campaign at the GNS on September 5 against the St Lucia Zouks from 18:00h local time. The training camp aims to test the fitness level of the players, get them acclimatised to Guyanese conditions, and for the entire unit to get familiar.
Speaking to this daily publication, CPL GAW Public Relations Officer (PRO) and well-known journalist John Ramsingh disclosed that the GAW training camp has been a traditional one for the team, where players globally will assemble for the local franchise for the build-up.
Shimron Hetmyer on the go during the 2018 CPL warm-up match
This camp will see players going through the motion: “fitness drills, batting and bowling simulations, bowling in certain situations in T20 Cricket”, Ramsingh highlighted.
He added that the players will turn out at the GNS on Tuesday September 3, 2019 for their practice/warm up game under lights.
Ramsingh disclosed that the combination of the current squad is simply a winning combination.
“I think the youthfulness of the squad is a big plus, but the GAW is led by the experienced campaigner Shoaib Malik”, he said.
The GAW team is filled with young talents that are already recognized around the globe. The likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford and Chandrapaul Hemraj are some of those talented players.
This 2019 GAW CPL squad is also a record breaking one, since eight Guyanese nationals are included.
Ramsingh added that this is also the strength of the team’s core; it is the most Guyanese in a CPL squad and the most local players in the Caribbean. This is also an opportunity for these local players to further announced themselves and gain global recognition.
Tickets for the first three home matches in Guyana are currently on sale at their countrywide offices. GAW will play these three home matches and head on the road for their away matches; then they will return home for two more matches to complete their five home matches.
Additionally, two play-off matches will be played at the GNS. After the three home matches are completed, the tickets for the remaining home matches will also be on sale.
The full 17-member squad reads: Shadab Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Shoaib Malik, Shimron Hetmyer, Ben Lauglin, Chris Green, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Brandon King, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Keagan Simmons, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Veerasammy, Permaul, Anthony Bramble, Clinton Pestano, and Saurab Netravalkar.
