Guyana skipper confident experience can land T20 title
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Guyana believe they have the perfect package to deliver the Caribbean Twenty20 title, three years after winning the inaugural championship.
This year, they boast two world-class players in Shiv Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan, along with fledgling Test players Devendra Bishoo and Narsingh Deonarine, a combination captain Veerasammy Permaul said could make the difference.
“It will require a total team effort. It’s a really big tournament and we want to do well all-round,” Permaul said.
“We have to perform at all levels. We have some very experienced batsmen who we all know are capable match-winners. Our bowling is solid, and once we can restrict teams, we can chase down totals.”
Guyana won the CT20 in 2010, when they beat Barbados in a pulsating final at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad. Since then, however, they have failed to make the final four of the tournament.
For this year’s campaign, Chanderpaul and Sarwan have been called up, and will join the likes of Deonarine and Bishoo, who will bring much-needed international experience to the line-up.
Much will also be expected from West Indies T20 all-rounder Chris Barnwell and Young Windies speedster Ronsford Beaton, but despite the talent, Permaul said Guyana’s key to success would be keeping their approach simple.
“We have to play what we know and what brought us success before. We have an experienced team and, as always, we want to do the people proud. They deserve the very best from us,” Permaul said.
The tall left-arm spinner, who has also captained the West Indies A team, will bring his recent outing with West Indies in Bangladesh to the set-up. He played two Tests and three One-Day Internationals for his first taste of international cricket.
Permaul, who took just three wickets from four matches in last year’s tournament, said there would be no complicated approach from him either.
“I don’t plan to do anything spectacular, just do the simple, basic things that have worked time and time again,” he said.
“The key to my bowling is accuracy and consistency. I look to build pressure on the batsmen and try to force them to make the mistake. I’m not a big spinner of the ball so I have to aim to work people out and make them play into my hands.”
He added: “I work really hard. It’s the only way I know how. I’m not one of the ones where people would say has natural talent, and I’m not flashy.”
Guyana open their campaign against Combined Campuses and Colleges on January 7.