VETERAN Guyanese batsmen Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan headline a strong Guyana team that arrived in Jamaica yesterday for the first round Regional Four-Day clash against host Jamaica at Sabina Park starting on Friday.

The duo is joined by West Indies players Narsingh Deonarine, Assad Fudadin, Christopher Barnwell, Versammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo and Sewnarine Chattergoon in what is being described as one of the strongest Guyana sides in many years.

The rest of the squad reads Anthony Bramble, Amir Khan, Ronsford Beaton, Keon Joseph and Vishal Singh.

The team is coached by former player Esuan Crandon and managed by Alvin Johnson.

Chanderpaul, who will be leading the team in this year’s Regional Four-Day championship, said his team will be looking to get off to a good start against Jamaica.

“We know that playing Jamaica at Sabina Park will be a tough assignment, but we have one of the strongest squads in the tournament on paper and we are hoping to transfer that on to the field come Friday.”

The Guyanese will be without last year’s leading run scorer in Leon Johnson, who scored 430 runs in six matches. They, however, have the reliable left-hander Assad Fudadin, who scored 289 runs last year in 12 innings.

Their bowling department will be led by left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who picked up 30 wickets last season.

He will be ably supported by fellow leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who snared 20 wickets last season in six matches.

The last time Guyana met Jamaica in a four-day encounter was in April last year, where the visiting Jamaica team won the match by 214 runs at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.

GUYANA SQUAD: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (capt), Christopher Barnwell (vice-capt), Anthony Bramble, Assad Fudadin, Amir Khan, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Narsingh Deonarine, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Veerasammy Permaul, Devendra Bishoo, Ronsford Beaton, Keon Joseph, Vishaul Singh, Alvin Johnson (manager), Esuan Crandon (coach).