By Ravendra Madholall
Former Guyana and West Indies youth batsman Hemnarine Chattergoon is batting for Guyana Amazon Warriors to lift the Caribbean Premier League T20 trophy this year.
Chattergoon has expressed strong confidence that the Warriors can be triumphant on this occasion.
Warriors will begin their campaign on September 3rd at the Warner Park, Stadium, St. Kitts and Nevis against Jamaica Tallawahs, two days after the commencement of the six-franchised competition.
Since the inauguration of the tournament in 2013, Guyana Amazon Warriors have never won the trophy. Warriors have featured in five finals though.
This year, the curtains will come down at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, September 30th and Chattergoon feels, once they can qualified for the championship game, they will be breaking the losing streak.
“I have many reasons to feel confident that Guyana Amazon Warriors winning the championship this year; not only playing on home soil if they reach the final, but I just think they are ready to end the drought,” Chattergoon, who currently residing in Canada, related.
His fellow Berbician Shimron Hetmyer was recently named the captain of the side. Chattergoon also believes that the smart leadership can be the key this year and strongly believes in Hetmyer’s ability.
“Well, he won an under-19 world cup for West Indies and that shows he has got the quality as a leader; and again if they go through to the final, Hetmyer is the man to do the job for them,” Chattergoon, the elder brother of former West Indies opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon, stated.
Quizzed on the composition of the squad, Chattergoon is optimistic that these guys have all it takes to be winner.
“When you look at the team; it is very strong and no doubt each player wants to make an impression; yes, it is T20 cricket but I am very upbeat that this is the year for Guyana Amazon Warriors,” Chattergoon, who also played for his adopted country Canada internationally, revealed.
The Warriors’ batting will center around Hetmyer, who is a pugnacious left-handed batsman while high-profile players like Ireland’s Paul Stirling, South Africans Colin Ingram and Klaasen will be great assets.
Guyanese attacking left-hander Chanderpaul Hemraj will be important too with the bat while genuine all-rounders Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith and Keemo Paul capable of making a statement with the bat on a consistent basis. Their batting will have the services of Shai Hope, Jermaine Blackwood and Matthew Nandu, too.
Their bowling seems formidable as well. Two versatile left-arm spinners Veerasammy Permaul and Gudakesh Motie along with highly world-rated leg-spinner Imran Tahir should lead that department while pacers Ronsford Beaton, Shepherd, Smith, Paul and Junior Sinclair could be instrumental especially on these responsive pitches.
Four countries are jointly hosting the tournament and they are: St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana.