Akshaya Persaud lone new face in Jaguars squad
- Adams, Rutherford, Hemraj also make the cut
The national selectors yesterday announced the squad for the first round of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) regional four-day tournament which begins Thursday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Guyana, the reigning threetime defending champions, will come up against the Jamaica Scorpions with left-hander Akshaya Persaud as the lone new face in an otherwise predictable squad.
Persaud had a prolific run in the just-concluded Guyana Cricket Board three-day Franchise league where he emerged as the leading run scorer with 523 runs and two centuries with a highest score of 151.
Left-arm spinner Anthony Adams, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament and the leading allrounder after taking 52 wickets and contributing 260 runs, also finds a place in the Leon Johnson-led squad among fellow left-arm spinners Gudakesh Motie and Veerasammy Permaul.
The squad also features exciting young all-rounders Sherfane Rutherford and Keemo Paul while there was no place for the out of favour Christopher Barnwell and the inform Keemo Paul
Raymond Perez. On that account, discarded West Indies opener Rajendra Chandrika retains his place and is expected to face the new ball with Tagenarine Chanderpaul.
Meanwhile, in a release, the GCB indicated that the squad will be strengthened for the second round with the inclusion of Vishaul Singh and Keon Joseph who are both on West Indies ‘A’ duties while veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul has also made himself available from round two after missing the opening round due to personal commitments.
Guyana will also miss the services of the dependable Raymon Reifer and Shimron Hetmyer who are currently in Zimbabwe with the West Indies team.
Guyana Tagenarine Rajendra Chandrapaul squad reads: Chanderpaul, Chandrika, Hemraj, Leon Johnson (Captain), Bashkar Yadram, Keemo Paul, Anthony Bramble, Sherfane Rutherford, Veerasammy Permaul- (Vice Captain), Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Akshaya Persaud and Anthony Adams.