The national female under-19 team yesterday departed to the twin island republic of Trinidad and Tobago to
National Female U-19 before their departure.
compete in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Under-19 Invitational Women’s Twenty20 Tournament which runs from July 22 to 25.
The team which was mainly selected from several Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) programmes as well as a six day training camp which ended Saturday last will face Barbados today at the National Cricket Centre in Couva.
Speaking to this publication via social media yesterday after his team landed in Trinidad, coach Julian Moore said his side has a good chance at winning but will have to execute in order to achieved that goal.
Guyana team is sponsored by Top Brandz Distributors and before their departure, Chief Executive Officer of Top Brandz Distributors, Wayne James, met with the girls to wish them success on the tour. He stated that he is privileged to be associated with the development of cricket, noting that development starts with the youths.
Territorial Development Officer of GCB, Colin Stuart, also spoke to the team. He congratulated the girls on making the national squad, and reminded them that others would have loved to be in their shoes. He thanked them for their eagerness, keenness and willingness to learn and to grow during the encampment period, and indicated to them about the importance of performing when it matters.
Stuart stated, that the benefits of all the discipline and hard demonstrated prior to the regional tournament, will all come down to how you each play as individuals and as a part of the unit – the team, in every match. He further stated that how well you play on that given day, is what will matter most. As such, I will like to implore to give of your best as an individual and as a team in every match. Your best is what is required, and the GCB asked for nothing more than such, since we are convince that performing at your best will bring us regional success.
Stuart also specified that there are other incentives to performing well, such as gaining a structured career path in cricket. He stated that the professionalism of women cricket is growing, and that performing at high standards is likely to promote the women game and catapult it to a similar lucrative level as male cricketer.
Prior to their departure, Secretary of the GCB, Anand Sanasie, visited the ladies during their practice sessions at GCC ground in Bourda and was highly impressed with their eagerness to compete. He wished them an injury free tournament and urged them to be professionals and represent their country well. He noted that this exposure would definitely boost their cricket development.
Six of the players selected have exposure at this level and are expected to use their experience to the team’s advantage. Those players are; captain Mandy Mangru, vice captain Plaffiana Millington, Amanda Persaud, Shabika Gajnabi, Deborah Vanderstoop and Sheneta Grimmond.
The full Guyana squad reads: Mandy Mangru (captain), Plaffiana Millington (vice-captain), Deborah Vanderstoop, ShenetaGrimmond, Amanda Persaud, ShabikaGajnabi, Kaysia Shultz, LafonaGilgeous, AleemaArokium (wicket-keeper), Marian Samaroo,YogeetaBalkishun, Tasleema Bacchus, Russhanna Lynch, and Dian Prahalad. The Manager is DevikaGobin and the Coach is Julian Moore.
