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Champs Guyana taking aim at TCL Group West Indies U-19 crown (Match preview)CMC | 18/07/08BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Defending champions and table-toppers Guyana will be going all out to maintain their unbeaten run when they take on Jamaica in the penultimate round of the 2008 TCL Group West Indies Under-19 series starting Saturday. The Guyanese lead the points table with 28 points following outright victories in their first two matches of the championship and will bolster their title hopes with an outright victory. They are six points clear of Barbados (22) and 12 in front of third-positioned Windwards (16), and will be pushing for maximum points against the Jamaicans to keep themselves on course for back-to-back titles, and their 12th league championship crown. Led by talented all-rounder Eugene La Fleur, the Guyanese started their quest for top honours, with full points against the Leeward Islands at Kensington Oval, and the Windward Islands at Combermere. In their last match, they were forced to settle for four points in a rain-ruined third-round contest against hosts Barbados that ended in a no-decision at the Cable & Wireless ground. The championship title could be decided in this round, since the Guyanese would retain their crown if they register an outright win against Jamaica, and the chasing Barbados and Windwards are beaten in their games. Guyana’s chances of a positive result have been bolstered by the return of La Fleur, who missed out in the last game against Barbados through an ankle injury. Coach of the Guyanese team Hubern Evans has expressed confidence that his side can retain the title. “We are always confident that we will do well in the series. We are going all out for an outright win. The guys’ confidence has been lifted by the return of Eugene La Fleur,” Evans told CMC Sports. Evans, though, is still worried about the team’s batting. “There are still some concerns about the batting, but the guys are coming to grips and hopefully, they will click in this all important fixture,” Evans said. Meanwhile, Barbados - led by batsman Kyle Corbin - are chasing their first U19 title since TCL sponsorship in 2003 and will start favourites against the inconsistent Leeward Islands team at Pine Basin. Barbados had started the series with a bang - a convincing victory against the Windward Islands at UWI. However, they were held to a draw by Trinidad and Tobago at Kensington Oval, and slipped again when they had to settle for four points against Guyana in their rain-hit match this week. The Barbados coach Dexter Toppin said that his youngsters are oozing with confidence going into Saturday’s crucial match-up as they eye their first regional U19 three-day crown since 2002. “We feel very confident, just as we felt against Guyana in the game that was abandoned through rain. We are looking to go in the match with the best possible combination, looking to play some good cricket and to go at the top of the standings,” Toppin said. In the remaining game, Trinidad and Tobago will be seeking to move from the bottom of the table, when they clash with the Windward Islands at the Combermere High School ground. All matches are scheduled to start 10:00 local time. |
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