Guyana, Windwards look to end drought

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

Without a title for several years, both Guyana and Windward Islands will hope to change that worrying trend when they face each other on the opening day of the Regional Super50 Series here today.

Both teams will square off at the Guyana National Stadium at 9 a.m. in one of two matches scheduled in the newly branded West Indies Cricket Board competition.

The hosts, who have struggled regionally in recent times especially, have not won a limited-overs title in six years, while the Windwards have to go back to 2000 to find their last success.

Guyana will have fond memories of their last title triumph when star batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan scored a record 462 runs, including three centuries, and former Test batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon got a hundred in the final at Bourda.

They begin their campaign against the Guyanese without regular skipper Darren Sammy, who is leading West Indies in Bangladesh, and off-spinner Shane Shillingford.

In Sammy's absence, West Indies batsman Devon Smith will lead the side, which includes talented off-spinner Dalton Polius.