Deonarine forced out with shoulder injury

Defending champions Guyana have suffered a major blow to their chances of retaining the Caribbean Twenty20 title with news that batsman Narsingh Deonarine has been forced to withdraw from their squad after picking up a shoulder injury.

Deonarine, who has played eight Tests, will be replaced by Albion club-mate Sewnarine Chattergoon in the squad but Chattergoon is unlikely to make the starting XI with Travis Dowlin and Richard Ramdeen, who opened for Guyana in Champions League campaign in September, both in the squad.

Both are expected to start at the top of the order when Guyana kick off their Caribbean T20 against favourites Jamaica on January 10 at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

Chattergoon had been a regular in the Guyana side but lost his spot after a string of poor performances, particularly in the shortest form of the game where a perceived lack of power put him at odds with the demands of the 20-over game.