Keen contest expected today as Guyana battle Windwards in final

WICB Regional U-19…

The Guyana Under-19 team currently in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Under-19 tournament is on the verge of creating history as they prepare to face Windward Island today in the limited overs final.

It would be Guyana’s third successive finals and if they win it would be the first time Guyana would achieve three consecutive titles. In fact, since winning their first limited overs title in Guyana in 2014, they have managed to win 10 matches as compare to two losses against Jamaica in 2015 and Leeward Island in this year’s edition.

Now the responsibility lies in the hands of skipper Travis Persaud and his troops to ensure the title is brought back to the Land of Many Waters. The Guyana team has been doing a good job and besides their lone failure against Leewards where they loss by 30 runs, Guyana has impressed in all of their other five matches. Prior to the Leeward’s clash, the reigning champions defeated ICC Americas by six wickets. They have comprehensively won every match after their loss to the Leewards.

All-rounders Keemo Paul and Sherfane Rutherford have lived up to expectation while 16 year old Bhaskar Yadram, Akenie Adams and Kheshram Seyhodam have all been instrumental in their team’s successes to date.

With 175 and 174 runs respectively Rutherford and Paul have lead from the front for Guyana but are yet to reach their full potential. Not only have they dominated with the bat but also the ball with Paul being Guyana’s leading bowler with 12 wickets and is only behind Barbados’ Joshua Bishop (14) and Windwards Ryan John (13). Meanwhile Rutherford is Guyana’s lone bowler with a five wicket haul in the limited over version this year.

Apart from Rutherford and Paul, Yadram and Raymond Perez have also contributed with the bat. Both have recorded half centuries and played significant roles at important times. Ronaldo Ali Mohamed hit a cameo of 42 from 37 deliveries against Jamaica but he has been unsound so far and has one final chance to make an impression.

In the bowling department Paul has been Guyana’s top performer along with left arm spin duo Seyhodan and Adams have both been effective claiming 11 and nine victims respectively. Like Ali-Mohamed, Guyana’s skipper Travis Persaud has had a disappointed run so far and he must look to make an impact in today’s finals with bat, ball or he must be spectacular with his leadership.

Prior to their departure to St. Vincent, the Guyana team was touted as a strong unit that was expected to defend its three-day and limited over titles.

However, that was not their fate as they performed poorly in the three day, losing all three of their matches including two in two days.

Subsequent to that lackluster performance Guyana has rebounded to showcase a better performance in the shorter version. They finished second at the end of the preliminaries on 22 points behind Windwards who scored 22.6 points. Both team lost a game but compliments of their fast bowling points Windwards finished as leaders.

Nevertheless tomorrow’s final is expected to be a keen contest as both teams are fully capable of beating the other. Earlier in the tournament, Guyana defeated Windwards by 38 runs compliments of a brilliant all-round effort from Paul coupled with quality spin bowling by Adams and Seyhodan.

Guyana would have also defeated the Windwards last year in Jamaica and the previous year in Guyana thus holds the edge. The two teams were to clash in the 2014 finals in Guyana but unfortunately rain had the last say.

The Windwards should not be written off since their team includes West Indies U-19 players Ryan John and Emmanuel Stewart, both of whom have done extremely good in the tournament so far. The present of opener Johann Jeremiah and all-rounder Alick Anthanaze could also add to the Windwards cause.

The Windwards have a good unit and must be positive should they win, however, Guyana is in excellent form and should be able to put the final nail in the coffin.