Nortel Semi: Trinis taking on 'big boys' (27 July 1999)

27 July 1999

Nortel Semi: Trinis taking on 'big boys'

The Barbados Nation

Guyana will be aware of their rich tradition in Nortel three-day cricket when they take on Trinidad and Tobago at Queen's Park in a 1999 semifinal today.

Guyana won six consecutive titles between 1992 and 1997. The three-day competition was cancelled last year because of persistent rain and a one-day tournament substituted.

The Guyanese will have a tough battle against the red-hot Trinidadians, who will be buoyant following successive innings victories against Canada and the Leeward Islands.

The Guyanese depend heavily on captain Sewnarine Chattergoon, 15-year-old batsman Roopnarine Ramgobin and Narsingh Deonarine, the tournament's most prolific batsman with 284 runs, including a championship-best unbeaten 142 against Barbados.

This trio will have to cope with wily Trinidadian off-spinner Rodney Sookal, whose 19 wickets have cost 9.63 runs apiece, and his left-arm spin partner, Devindra Krishna.

Fast-bowling all-rounder Devon Rogers could also be a key man for Trinidad and Tobago, who have a strong batting line-up with the likes of free-scoring captain Zaheer Ali, opener Sherwin Ganga and Gregory Mahabir.

Guyana's attack is spin-oriented with off-spinner Orvin Mangru and left-armer Hemnarine Harrinarine, the principal bowlers.

Mangru earned a Nortel record innings haul of nine for 116 against Barbados, pushing his tally to 18, while Harrinarine has not met with the same success since taking eight for 31 in the opening round against the Nortel Development XI.

They will be supported by another off-spinner, Kevin Bazil, who is expected to return to the side after missing the last game.

Guyana coach Albert Smith is disappointed in the general batting of his team.

'The batsmen are giving their wickets away when well set, and we need a few more guys scoring at the same time instead of just one or two players making the majority of the runs,' he said.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)