CG United Super50 Cup: Guyana have eyes set on upset over T&T
CG United Super50 Cup – SEMI-FINAL 1
T&T Red Force vs Guyana Harpy Eagles vs
Venue: Brian Lara Cricket Academy
Start: 1pm (12 noon Jamaica)
After a sluggish start, Guyana Harpy Eagles will look to bring their “A game” when they face unbeaten Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in the semi-final on Wednesday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
The Harpy Eagles finished fourth on 34 points in the preliminary round and this all-important semi-final is a chance to prove the loss earlier in the tournament was a result they don’t want to repeat, and it will be an important step towards ending their 18-year title drought.
The Red Force ended the preliminary phase of the tournament on top of the standings with 49 points and did not lose any of their seven matches, enduring only a washout in their first match,
In addition, the Harpy Eagles are hoping that they could complete the double of the West Indies Championship and Super50 titles, and teams from Guyana could sweep all three major titles in a single calendar year with the Amazon Warriors franchise having won the Caribbean Premier League T20 title two months ago.
“We have had our ups and downs. We did not see our bating come to the forefront really until the last match against the Jamaica Scorpions when it was much needed,”
Harpy Eagles head coach Ryan Hercules said. He was speaking to CWI Media ahead of an intense training session on the eve of the contest.
“The most important thing was trying to reach the semi-finals, which we did, and anyone would take that as a plus. We know our batting has not been at its best, and at times, some of our ‘death bowling’ – without Romario Shepherd – has let us down.”
Hercules added:
“But I am pretty confident knowing that in the last match, we played we had a convincing win against the Scorpions. Some of the guys found some form … Once we stick together as a unit, and play smartly, and execute, anything is possible.
“It will be about working the match-ups and according to plans that will be key to getting 10 wickets and restricting them for as low as possible. In the field, we have to go out there and give it our all from the first ball to the last to set the energy to get ahead and stay ahead. In the batting, it will be about getting decent partnerships and creating the opportunity for our middle order to go there and play some attacking cricket.”
The second semi-final, another day-night contest, between Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Barbados Pride will be played at on Thursday at the same venue, where the day-night final will be contested on Saturday.
FULL SQUAD: Veerasammy Permaul, Tevin Imlach, Kelvon Anderson, Shamar Joseph, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Kemol Savory, Richie Looknauth, Kevin Sinclair, Niall Smith; Ryan Hercules (Head Coach)
Match Officials:
Onfield umpires: Leslie Reifer jr, Patrick Gustard
TV umpire: Deighton Butler
Standby umpire: Nigel Duguid
Match Referee: Michael Ragoonath