First test match between India and South Africa of the three test match series

First test match between India and South Africa of the three test match series is about to start at Centurion on Thursday 16th December.

It can be termed as a biggest ever welcoming reception hosted by South Africa for Indian team that arrived here recently to play all the three formats of cricket game starting with test series followed by a solo Twent20 and then one day international series.

Against a tough team like South Africa, India will have a good testing time to prepare for forthcoming World Cup 2011.

The aforesaid reception for India was marvellously organized inJohannesburg by South African Cricket Board. India had won World Twenty20 2007 here and another remembrance is that of a single test win inSouth Africa before they lost next two tests thereby losing 2006-07 test series by 1-2.

Those next two tests where India was badly beaten were held at Kingsmead and Newlands which are the venues for current series too. It was a dream come true match for Sreesanth at Johannesburg where he showed the magic of his swing bowling and shattered South African batting line.

India currently is topping the ICC Test Team Ranking whereas South Africais at number two. So this series may be termed as the battle between the equals except that the host team will have a bigger advantage of playing at home.

The first test is to be played at Centurion where Zaheer Khan will be missed badly who is still to recover from his injury. At this ground South Africa has a superb record of winning as they have lost only a single match here. Indiawould be playing their first match on this ground.

The match has been delayed due to rain as was predicted by the met department in South Africa and if this continues it may head toward a major loss in time to play. The match may go for a draw if substantial time is lost due to rain and wet ground.

India vs South Africa 1st Test delayed due to rain.

India vs South Africa 1st Test delayed due to rain.

The three-Test series between South Africa and India starting in Centurion on Thursday has been dubbed a contest between South African bowling and Indian batting. For Morne Morkel, the crux of that battle will be between the openers on both sides of that equation.
“Gautam and Sehwag upfront are very dangerous. Not long ago Gautam was No. 1 in the world and we all know how destructive Virender can be against the new ball,” Morkel said at a press conference in Centurion on Tuesday. “It’s a contest we are looking forward to especially here on South African wickets where you don’t just have five overs where the new ball is vital – it tends to bounce for a bit longer.”
Morkel knows the Centurion pitch very well. He plies his domestic trade at SuperSport Park for the Titans and has observed a few changes in the strip he has bowled on for so many years. “They’ve changed the square a little bit and there is a little more life in the wicket,” he said. Being on national duty has meant that Morkel has not played many franchise games, but in the one first-class match he managed to fit in this season he was impressed with the deck. “We asked for a nice quick wicket then and we bowled out the Warriors for 70-odd. The pace and bounce was very good.”
With wet weather hanging over the Highveld, the bowlers are likely to benefit from a pitch more lively than a Jack Russell puppy. “If there are overcast conditions like we’ve had, who wouldn’t put his hand up to bowl first?” Morkel asked and enthusiastically almost raised his hand as well. Before he could do that, he stopped himself and reminded the audience that the South African seamers were going to be bowling to a very competent Indian line-up.
Even though coach Corrie van Zyl didn’t think the time India’s batsmen spent in South Africa during the IPL and Champions League would benefit them much, Morkel disagreed. “The way they have been playing in the IPL and the CLT20, they have definitely improved their game on South African conditions.” Morkel also thinks India’s coach, Gary Kirsten, would have passed on a few vital tips for his troops. “Gary Kirsten has got all the insides and knows how to play on SA wickets, so the he would have been a big help for them for how to play on a bouncy wicket.”
While the focus has been on one side of the contest, Ashwell Prince thinks that the other side could be just as important especially because Indian pace attack will also enjoy responsive pitches. “We respect the Indian seam attack. They normally do very well in subcontinent conditions which don’t support the fast bowlers much and they must be looking forward to having assistance from our wickets.”
Although the wickets are being prepared for seamers, Prince did not negate the role Harbhajan Singh will play for India. “He will be a threat as he is one of the best in the world. I’m sure he is looking forward to the series as well. Graeme Swann had good series in SA last year and at moment Swann is rated the best spin bowler in the world. Maybe Harbhajan would like to have his say about that and look to make an impact.”
Prince expects “some movement off the seam,” but doesn’t think the bowlers will be the only ones enjoying some time in the sun. “If it’s 34 degrees and the pitch bakes, it will be a good wicket to bat on.”
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent

Morne Morkel, the crux of that battle between the openers

The three-Test series between South Africa and India starting in Centurion on Thursday has been dubbed a contest between South African bowling and Indian batting. For Morne Morkel, the crux of that battle will be between the openers on both sides of that equation.
“Gautam and Sehwag upfront are very dangerous. Not long ago Gautam was No. 1 in the world and we all know how destructive Virender can be against the new ball,” Morkel said at a press conference in Centurion on Tuesday. “It’s a contest we are looking forward to especially here on South African wickets where you don’t just have five overs where the new ball is vital – it tends to bounce for a bit longer.”
Morkel knows the Centurion pitch very well. He plies his domestic trade at SuperSport Park for the Titans and has observed a few changes in the strip he has bowled on for so many years. “They’ve changed the square a little bit and there is a little more life in the wicket,” he said. Being on national duty has meant that Morkel has not played many franchise games, but in the one first-class match he managed to fit in this season he was impressed with the deck. “We asked for a nice quick wicket then and we bowled out the Warriors for 70-odd. The pace and bounce was very good.”
With wet weather hanging over the Highveld, the bowlers are likely to benefit from a pitch more lively than a Jack Russell puppy. “If there are overcast conditions like we’ve had, who wouldn’t put his hand up to bowl first?” Morkel asked and enthusiastically almost raised his hand as well. Before he could do that, he stopped himself and reminded the audience that the South African seamers were going to be bowling to a very competent Indian line-up.
Even though coach Corrie van Zyl didn’t think the time India’s batsmen spent in South Africa during the IPL and Champions League would benefit them much, Morkel disagreed. “The way they have been playing in the IPL and the CLT20, they have definitely improved their game on South African conditions.” Morkel also thinks India’s coach, Gary Kirsten, would have passed on a few vital tips for his troops. “Gary Kirsten has got all the insides and knows how to play on SA wickets, so the he would have been a big help for them for how to play on a bouncy wicket.”
While the focus has been on one side of the contest, Ashwell Prince thinks that the other side could be just as important especially because Indian pace attack will also enjoy responsive pitches. “We respect the Indian seam attack. They normally do very well in subcontinent conditions which don’t support the fast bowlers much and they must be looking forward to having assistance from our wickets.”
Although the wickets are being prepared for seamers, Prince did not negate the role Harbhajan Singh will play for India. “He will be a threat as he is one of the best in the world. I’m sure he is looking forward to the series as well. Graeme Swann had good series in SA last year and at moment Swann is rated the best spin bowler in the world. Maybe Harbhajan would like to have his say about that and look to make an impact.”
Prince expects “some movement off the seam,” but doesn’t think the bowlers will be the only ones enjoying some time in the sun. “If it’s 34 degrees and the pitch bakes, it will be a good wicket to bat on.”
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent

Team India Concerned Over Fitness of Ace Pace Zaheer Khan

CENTURION : Even as India look to topple South Africa in their den, pace spearhead Zaheer Khan’s fitness continues to throw a spanner in their plans. Zaheer, who did not have a great year as far as fitness is concerned, is central to India’s plans in what is being billed as the series of the year for both the teams.
The left-arm pacer did not bowl at all on Monday when the team had its first official practice session here at the Super Sport Park. In fact, Indian team’s physio Paul Chapman was seen working hard on Zaheer for a long time. This gave rise to concerns that all’s not well with Zaheer despite the team management’s assurances to the contrary.
On Tuesday, Zaheer did bowl at half tilt for some time as the practice session was winding up. Before that, he sprinted for a while to test his groin which has been causing some concern lately and he looked in some discomfort.
Zaheer had missed the third Test against New Zealand at Nagpur because of the groin niggle. He came back for the final two ODIs but seemed to have hurt his groin again during the fourth ODI. The Indian squad has Umesh Yadav and Jaidev Unadkat to pick from as the third pacer if Zaheer is ruled out of the opener.
Courtesy :- The Times of India

Team India All Set To Take On The Proteas in SA

South Africa intends to see how India fares against a barrage of fast balls on juicy pitches from Thursday and put under scrutiny India’s rise to the top of the world Test cricket rankings.India climbed to No. 1, thanks to spinning out opponents, and for nearly two and a half years it has gone undefeated in its last nine series, winning seven. However, only one of those victories — against New Zealand in 2009 — was outside the subcontinent and away from India’s favored slow, turning and mainly batter-friendly pitches.
If the South African plans come to fruition, the only slow turn the Indians will see in the next three weeks is the minute hand on their watches.
“We are not going to give them turning tracks here, that’s not going to happen,” South Africa coach Corrie van Zyl said, smiling. “We are hopefully going to play on wickets that’s going to benefit our style of play. There has been a lot of talk about pace and bounce and that is what we would like to see from our South African wickets.
“On the short stuff, it is part of Test cricket and will definitely be part of this series. Short stuff is good but it’s important that it’s part of a plan.”
The Proteas back their aggressive pace attack — led by No. 1 Test bowler Dale Steyn and the 1.96-meter (6-feet-5-inch) Morne Morkel — against a formidable India batting lineup centered around Sachin Tendulkar and explosive opener Virender Sehwag.
South Africa represents the final frontier for India, which has yet to win a Test series in the fast bowler-friendly conditions in the republic. Since South Africa’s readmission to international cricket in 1992, it has won all four home series against India. India has played 12 tests, and only won one.
“It’s not always about history and what you have done in the past or what you have achieved in the past,” India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said this week. “It’s always better, when it comes to international cricket, not to think too much about the stats.
“It’s always the same once you leave the subcontinent, how you are going to face the short stuff. We have performed well outside of the subcontinent. It’s all about adapting to the conditions and, at the same time, what kind of bowlers you are facing and what kind of form they are in.”
India is well placed to deal with any fast bowling onslaught.The 37-year-old Tendulkar has more Test runs (14,366) and centuries (49) than any other player in cricket history. A series victory in South Africa would cap one of cricket’s most complete careers.
He leads a batting lineup brimming with talent.
There’s the destructive strokeplay of Sehwag, the grit of Rahul Dravid and the sublime ability of VVS Laxman. Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina have also contributed outstanding recent performances for India and Dhoni provides a potent threat down the order.
India coach Gary Kirsten, a former South Africa batsman who has played 101 Tests, will also provide local knowledge — a big advantage for the team, says Dhoni. Kirsten brought the bulk of the Test team to South Africa a week early to adjust to local conditions at his academy in his home city, Cape Town.
“Having Gary in the side will really help us and not only with the conditions,” Dhoni said. “He also knows the mindset of the players that are part of the (South African) side. So, of course, it’s a good asset. Apart from having good players in the side, he is the best thing that has happened to Indian cricket.”
Asked about Kirsten’s likely influence on the series, Van Zyl wryly responded: “He’s not playing, is he?” The coach then suggested the early arrival of the Test players means India is “worried” but said Kirsten would surely “benefit” the visitors’ chances.India’s bowling attack could also make the most of the fast pitches, with quicks Zaheer Khan, left-armer Ishant Sharma and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth all capable performers.
Conversely, South Africa has strong batting ability in captain Graeme Smith, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and two outstanding recent run-getters — AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla.
They all helped South Africa win 10 and draw four of the team’s last 15 Test series.It promises to be a compelling contest from Thursday at Centurion’s SuperSport Park — where India has never played a Test and where the hosts have won 11 of 15 matches.
“Both sides are really good sides and both are doing really well if you see their last 10 or 15 Test matches,” Dhoni said. “There is plenty of hype created around this series. So hopefully the kind of cricket the teams will play, hopefully it will satisfy the spectators.”
The only unwelcome distraction could be the weather, with persistent rain forecast around Centurion and Pretoria for the rest of the week.Following the Test series, the teams will play five one-day internationals and a lone Twenty20 which will celebrate the careers of Tendulkar and retired Proteas fast bowler Makhaya Ntini.
Courtesy : CricketNext

The Weather at Centurion To Play A Keyrole in 1st Test

CENTURION : Just three days after the official start of their tour, India face what shapes as the biggest threat to their ranking as the number one team in Test cricket when they meet South Africa in the first Test at SuperSport Park on Thursday.India go into the clash against their nearest challengers without having played a warm-up game in conditions which, in the early part of the match at least, are expected to be favourable to South Africa’s formidable fast bowling pair of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.
Overcast weather with a chance of rain is predicted through to Thursday although the sky is expected to clear over the weekend.There was a good covering of grass on the pitch on Tuesday and both Morkel and South African coach Corrie van Zyl said they expected help for the bowlers.
Van Zyl cautioned, though, that his bowlers would have to perform well against a powerful Indian batting line-up.
“There has been a lot of talk about pace and bounce but it’s one thing playing in those conditions, it’s another thing to execute.”
Nor will India’s batsmen be likely to succumb as meekly to pace as some of their predecessors in a country where India have only won one Test on four previous tours.
Five of India’s top seven batsmen have played in at least one Test series in South Africa and most of the rest of the touring squad have recent experience of local conditions through playing in Indian Premier League and Champions League tournaments in the country.
And, although the tour only started officially on Monday, following the conclusion of a one-day series against New Zealand last Friday, most of the players have been working with coach Gary Kirsten at his academy in Cape Town for the past week.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said his players were “very calm, very relaxed, thinking about the process and not getting caught up with other things”.
Although winning in South Africa is seen by many Indian critics as the final challenge to the number one team, Dhoni refused to over-hype the three-match series.
“It’s not about one series,” he said. “If you talk about rankings, it is the process that takes you to a place. If you talk about our ranking, we started from September 2008, and where we are right now is because of all our performances.”
He acknowledged, though, that it was important for India to adapt to local conditions, which he said had been helped by the time in Cape Town.
Although the battle between Steyn and Morkel and the Indian batsmen is crucial, with India boasting an explosive opening pair in Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, followed by some of India’s most successful batsmen of all time in Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, India will pose a considerable threat to the home team’s similarly solid batting.
If anything, India might have the better balanced attack, with fast bowler S Sreesanth, who had an excellent tour four years ago, and experienced off-spinner Harbhajan Singh backing up Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma.
There is some doubt, though, about the fitness of Khan with a possible hamstring injury.
South Africa’s back-up bowlers may be less threatening, with the inexperienced Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Ryan McLaren vying for one seamer’s place while Paul Harris, with a modest recent record, is the only spinner.
Squads
South Africa : Graeme Smith (capt), Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Ryan McLaren, Dale Steyn, Paul Harris, Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe
India : MS Dhoni (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Sree Sreesanth, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha, Umesh Yadav, Jaidev Unadkat, Pragyan Ojha
Umpires : Steve Davis (AUS), Ian Gould (ENG)
TV umpire : Shaun George (RSA)
Match referee : Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
Courtesy – The Times of India

India vs South Africa 1st Test : Team SA Take 230 Runs Lead

Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis scored unbeaten centuries as South Africa took complete control of the first cricket Test against a listless India by taking a substantial 230-run lead here on Friday.After bundling out India in just three deliveries in the morning session for a paltry 136, South Africa then tightened the noose around the visitors by reaching a commanding 366 for two in 87 overs at stumps on the second day.
Amla (116 not out) and Kallis (102 not out) showed that there was no demon in the pitch and negotiated the Indian bowlers with consummate ease with an unbeaten 200-run third wicket stand, that came off just 282 balls, to give the upper hand to the Proteas in the series opener.
While Kallis brought up his 38th Test ton with a double off S Sreesanth, Amla reached the milestone — his 12th century — in style with a smashing pull off Ishant Sharma.
Alviro Petersen (77) and Greame Smith (62), were the other notable contributors for the Proteas who relied on Morne Morkel’s career-best figures of five for 20 and Dale Steyn (3/34) to demolish India’s famed batting line-up.
Resuming at the precarious overnight score of 136 for nine, the visitors failed to add any run to their total as Morkel got rid of India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (33) in the third ball of the day.
Dhoni was hit on the pad to a delivery that appeared to be going down the leg side, but the Indian captain walked even before the umpire had raised his finger.
With three full days left in the match, the hosts will now seek to bury the Indians under a mountain of runs and then go for the kill.
The South Africans got a solid start through captain Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen while the other batsmen also stuck to their tasks admirably to put the home team in a commanding position.
Smith and Petersen seemed to be in no discomfort at all against the Indian seamers who failed to extract any movement from the SuperSport Park track.
The pair put on 111 runs for the first wicket before off-spinner Harbhajan Singh provided the breakthrough by evicting the dangerous Smith in the last over before lunch, much to the relief of the Indians.
The South African captain attempted to cut a ball that drifted onto the left hander but only succeeded in edging it to Dhoni behind the stumps. His knock of 62 came off 87 balls and contained 11 boundaries.
With the sun shining brightly, the Indian bowlers hardly looked penetrative, unlike their South African counterparts who exploited the seaming conditions with devastating effect on Thursday.
Smith and Petersen started cautiously but gradually opened up to unleash some fluent strokes on both sides of the wicket.
Sreesanth and Ishant bowled a tidy opening spell but hardly looked menacing as they did not have the pace to torment the Protea batsmen on the track which had some bounce.
Debutant Jaidev Unandkat was introduced into the attack in the seventh over of the innings and the experienced Smith welcomed him by spanking his third ball to the boundary.
Peterson, who appeared circumspect early on in his innings, played his first attacking shot by hooking Ishant to the square leg fence. He gradually grew in confidence to hit a few more boundaries.
After the first 10 overs, Smith and Petersen stepped up the accelerator as they dispatched the loose deliveries to the boundary with ease.
As the innings wore on, Petersen seemed more and more confident and even singled out Harbhajan Singh for special treatment, lifting the off-spinner for a mighty six.
Just when it looked like the two openers would go into lunch, Harbhajan got into the act by getting the vital wicket of Smith, who notched up his 29th half century in Test cricket.
Resuming at the lunch score of 111 for one, Petersen and and Hashim Amla put on 55 runs for the second wicket before Harbhajan Singh struck for his team again.
Harbhajan plotted Petersen’s dismissal as he flighted the ball on middle and leg stump. The right-hander got half-forward to defend and got an inside edge onto pad for Gambhir to take a smart catch at forward short leg but not before completing his third Test half century.
Petersen looked quite comfortable in the middle till this blemish. His knock of 77 came off 114 balls and was laced with nine boundaries and a six.
The Indian bowlers lacked the sting in the post-lunch session as well and barring Harbhajan, who managed to get the odd ball to jump up, none of them really looked like getting a wicket.
The Indian pacemen got no movement whatsoever in the session and the absence of pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, who is sitting out of the match because of a hamstring injury, was badly felt.
Shortly after stepping onto to the crease, Amla also made his intentions clear by clobbering Harbhajan for a six and was not afraid to play the sweep shot to balls pitched outside the off-stump.
Jacques Kallis joined the action after Petersen’s dismissal and the experienced right hander got into the run scoring business by pounding Sreesanth to the boundary.
Indian captain Dhoni introduced part-timer Suresh Raina into the attack in place of Harbhajan and he turned out to be really expensive with Kallis smashing him for two sixes. He conceded 23 runs in his two overs.
When Kallis reached 30, he completed 1000 runs in the year 2010 during which he played 10 Tests for an impressive average of 70.62.
The Indians just did not have the bowling resources to pose any problems for the hosts who set the platform for a mammoth first innings total.
Teams:
South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Paul Harris, Jacques Kallis, Ryan McLaren, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Ashwell Prince, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha, Umesh Yadav, Jaidev Unadkat, Pragyan Ojha.
Umpires: Steve Davis (AUS), Ian Gould (ENG)
TV umpire: Shaun George (RSA)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM).
Courtesy : cricketnext

Samit Patel Got chance to shape up for Cricket World Cup from England

Samit Patel Got chance to shape up for Cricket World Cup from England

Christmas in the Samit Patel household has suddenly become a guilty pleasure after the Nottinghamshire all-rounder, shunned by England for the past two years because he is deemed to be overweight, was named in a provisional squad of 30 for next year's World Cup.

England have not relaxed their uncompromising stance on Patel's fitness, merely giving him another reminder that he can still have an international future if he meets minimum fitness requirements, which will be something to ponder as he tucks into a third helping of trifle.

The squad will be slimmed down on January 19, but it will be a major turn-up if the same applies to Patel. He finished a highly successful one-day summer for Nottinghamshire looking heftier than ever, much to England's frustration as they see an international career slipping away.

England's chief selector, Geoff Miller, made it abundantly clear that the stance on Patel was unchanged when he was excluded from England's squad for the one-day series against Australia. They have received no feedback since that he has become more fitness conscious, but have grasped an ideal opportunity to formally check on his fitness.


"Samit has been included in this preliminary squad and, along with every other player named, will be required to meet individual fitness criteria before the squad is finalised," Miller said. "There is still some time to pass before the final squad is selected so all 30 players have sufficient time to press for selection."

Patel, in terms of cricket statistics, had an excellent summer for Nottinghamshire in one-day cricket in 2010. He finished fifth in the Professional Cricketers Association's Most Valuable Player rankings after excellent performances in both 20 and 40-over competitions. His positive middle-order batting and useful left-arm spinners would make him an asset on a tournament staged in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The squad, which will be reduced to 15 names on January 19, also includes Stuart Broad, who is commentating on Test Match Special while he recovers from a torn abdominal muscle which has ruled him out of the rest of the Australia tour. Broad returns home to step up his rehabilitation after the Perth Test.

England's 30 is a relatively unimaginative affair. All 16 members of the Ashes squad are included, a decision that certainly in the case of Alastair Cook, who has no realistic prospects of a return to the ODI side, seem more designed to maximise feelgood for the Ashes series rather than encourage another up-and-coming young player.

England's group includes Bangladesh, India, Ireland, Netherlands, South Africa and West Indies. They will play two warm-up games against Canada and Pakistan before beginning their World Cup challenge on February 22 against Netherlands in Nagpur.

England provisional World Cup 30: Andrew Strauss (Middlesex, capt), James Adams (Hampshire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Alastair Cook (Essex), Steven Davies (Surrey), Jade Dernbach (Surrey), Steven Finn (Middlesex), James Hildreth (Somerset), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Michael Lumb (Hampshire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire), Kevin Pietersen (Surrey), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Chris Tremlett (Surrey), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex), Michael Yardy (Sussex).

Guyana to play in T&T T20 Cricket Festival from Dec 28-30

Guyana to play in T&T T20 Cricket Festival from Dec 28-30
DECEMBER 18, 2010 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER SPORTS
Guyana will play T&T in a T20 cricket festival at the end of the month at Guaracara Park in Pointe-a-Pierre.
President of the TTCB, Azim Bassarath revealed that the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) has invited Guyana to take part in the four-team series. They will come up against the T&T senior team, a T&T B team and the T&T Under-23 team. The matches will be played from December 28 to 30 and two matches will be played per day.
According to Bassarath… “In order to give them good preparation, we decided to contact the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and they kindly obliged to send their team to T&T to play in the series. Guyana are the defending champions and we are happy to report that both Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan have confirmed their availability for the series.”
Latest Sports Headlines

Fruta Conquerors beat Victoria Kings on penalty kicks; Netrockers trounce Bakewell Buxton Stars 2-0
US-based Guyanese brings Christmas cheer to GYO club
United States based Guyanese boxer to feature as event gets underway
Stephenson cops Guyana’s first medal at Invitational Meet in T&T
Guyana to play in T&T T20 Cricket Festival from Dec 28-30
National schools Chess tourney set for this weekend
Woodpecker Products Annual Junior Badminton U-11 & 13 winners decided
Floodlights Softball Cricket Association contribute
New brigade of RHTY&SC Executives excited about future
Guyana excelled in sports this year
Full compliment of sponsors for Kennard Memorial Boxing Day Horserace Meet
RHT Bakewell & Pepsi cricket teams donate to Berbice Board
BCB congratulates Cellink Berbice on winning Inter County T20
Western Tigers squeeze by Buxton Utd. 3-2; Liquid Gold upset Riddim Squad on Penalties
Bishoo is Male Cricketer of the year
Rose Hall Town make it 2 in a row with Club of the Year Award