Guyana banking on experience in Tri20 tournament

The Guyana Jaguars are banking on the experience of some players with international experience as they prepare for their opening match in this year’s Independence Tri20 Tournament scheduled to bowl off today at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
Coach Esaun Crandon highlighted the presence of fast bowler Ronsford Beaton as an added boost to the team’s chances.
“He has proven over and over, in the shortest version of the game, he is one of the best and he seems to be learning very quickly and has really been impressive over the years so I think he has given us some firepower there and a lot of experience there, starting with the new ball and then he comes back at the end of the innings to finish off for us,” he said.
Guyana will join Jamaica as the two visiting teams competing against host and defending champions Antigua and Barbuda Master Blasters during the one-week tournament.
The focus, Crandon said, has been on fitness ahead of the tournament.
“We have always been very strict when it comes to fitness and the guys have been in training for like four days per week. Most of the guys have been training from Monday to Thursday and those guys who are on contract like Jonathan Foo, Ronsford Beaton and Ricardo Adams are now in the set up so we had the opportunity to put them through some paces and got to access them to see what their fitness level is at the moment,” the coach said.
The former Guyana player is hoping that his countrymen living in Antigua will turn out in support of the team during the tournament.
“We all know that a lot of Guyanese live in Antigua and we always get some good support from the crowd there so I am not expecting any difference coming this weekend. We want to come out there and put on a good show for the people in Antigua,” he said.
“Players want to go there and represent themselves properly and obviously, we will be looking to win the competition,” Crandon said.
Play bowls off this evening when Antigua and Barbuda Master Blasters face Jamaica from 7 o’clock while on Saturday, Guyana play Jamaica at 6 p.m.
The competition continues Sunday when Master Blasters meet Guyana at 6 p.m.