Griffith pleased by Guyana’s contribution to Windies cricket

– excited to see young players in CPL 2018

By Clifton Ross

With Guyana’s input into West Indies cricket on the increase again, Jaguars/West Indies ‘A’ Team Coach Rayon Griffith said he’s thrilled to see the number of players transitioning from national to the International levels.
Griffith, the Guyana Jaguars Assistant Coach now turned West Indies A team Manager/Coach told Guyana Times Sport recently upon his return from the victorious One-Day series between his Caribbean side and the England Lions; that seeing more and more Guyanese players breaking onto the international scene was pleasing as a coach.
Numerous players over the years have been called up to the West Indies ‘A’ or senior sides due to their success in the Regional 4-Day tourney which the Jaguars have won for four successive years.

Despite not having won the Regional Super50 title in more than a decade, Guyana have still managed to do well individually in the 50 over formats, thus prompting either selections to the Senior team, A side or even help build a reputation to be drafted by a franchise for summer’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tourney.
Guyana has managed to accomplish all over the past 4 years, with a large number of players featuring in all facets of international cricket or high-quality international franchise cricket; CPL in particular. The coach said that apart from international selections it was great to see players getting the chance to shine in big tournaments like the CPL and others.
“It was very nice to see that (players being selected), when I heard the draft saw a few of the younger players who were dominating. It’s good to see that persons are recognizing their talent and willing to give them opportunities as well”, said Griffith.
He continued, “There are a lot of guys, (Chandrapaul) Hemraj is going to St Lucia Zouks, they’re also a couple of our guys (Jaguars players) playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors and I think we will play well with (Sherfane) Rutherford, (Romario) Shepherd, Keemo (Paul), (Veerasammy) Permaul who is a senior man there and one around the Caribbean as well as (Devendra) Bishoo, (Shimron) Hetmyer and others”.
From an international perspective, Guyana Jaguars feeding system has given the likes of Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Leon Johnson , Vishaul Singh, Raymon Reifer, Rajendra Chandrika, Ronsford Beaton have all made it to West Indies senior colors with Reifer, Paul and Hetmyer the current active internationally.
As for the A-team, Rutherford, Hemraj and Shepherd have been the latest additions as Griffith pointed out that it is essential when creating an environment where players can thrive and play freely.
“It’s about how you create the environment because we do try our best to create a happy environment because the happier they are the more we can get out of them and it will help them to perform at their best during game-time”.
Although the turnover rate is more delightful compared to in the past, much is still needed to ensure that Guyana’s current situation only gets better. Wrapping up is his interview the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Chairman of Senior National Selectors pointed out that it was his along with Jaguars Head Coach Esuan Crandon vision to make the Jags the best franchise in the region.
“Cranny and I have been working well as a pair in Guyana cricket fro may years and he really wants to see Guyana’s cricket develop. So it’s all about development in terms of seeing these young men get better in life and be more in life and become somebody after cricket”. He ended.