St George’s Out To Defend Colts Cup Match
[Written by Patrick Bean]
A talented squad of youngsters representing St George’s will on Sunday make the trek west to defend their Colts Cup Match crown against arch rival Somerset.
Selected for the champions, to be led by last year’s winning captain Q’Shai Darrell, is a cast which includes several players challenging for places in the senior version of Cup Match, Wicketkeeper-batter Jarryd Richardson, based on his demonstrating prime form with the bat since returning from a university overseas, stands a great chance of playing in next week’s midsummer classic, as does Marcus Scotland, while Zeri Tomlinson showed well for Cleveland during last weekend’s Eastern Counties match.
Additionally, there are the bowling threats of seamers Luke Fulton — another Cup Match hopeful — and Jahre Blakeney, along with capable all-rounders Luke Horan, Isaiah O’Brien and Darrell.
Thrust into the difficult position of picking a final 11 from a 14-member cast is coach Ryan Steede, who was yet grateful to have such a ‘problem’.
“We have picked a strong squad with a lot of quality young players that are coming through,” said Steede a former player in both the junior and senior versions of Cup Match. “They’ve demonstrated a lot of good skill throughout the season, so they are rearing and ready to go.
“The guys have looked extremely fit in training. They are committed, focused, show good energy and are doing positive things both on and off the field.
“They have qualities that the country needs to have demonstrated and people should come out, observe and give support to them.”
While a title sponsor is yet to be sought for the event, a brand-new trophy has been donated for the competition. There will also be presented at the end of the match individual prizes for the game’s Most Valuable Player and a Safe Hands Award, in line with the senior version.
“As we seek to defend our position we will be relying on our key batsmen to bat long,” revealed Steede of the team’s strategy. “The likes of Jarryd, Marcus and Zeri are the three most talked about batsmen from the east, which is not to take away from young [Jermal] Proctor up at Somerset who has had a tremendous season with the bat as well.
“Luke Horan is another who is establishing himself, having had a fantastic season for Warwick.
“All of these names that I’ve mentioned have scored hundreds this season, so it should be a fantastic game of cricket between the two teams.
“I’m just happy to be a part of the coaching staff and be able to give guidance to these youngsters.”
A similar story exists at the west end, apart from the all too important facts that they are in the disadvantaged position as challengers and have only to travel to their nearby home ground.
Dominic Sabir, Somerset’s league vice-captain and one skilfully adept in the game’s three basic concepts — batting, bowling and fielding — is slated to lead the charge toward hoped-for success.
Possessed by Somerset is a younger arsenal than that which lost by five wickets a year ago at Wellington Oval.
“We’ve made a couple of changes to the team this year,” explained Sabir, big-hitting middle-order batter and slow bowler. “It is a very young team this time around.
“We had a couple of the guys age of and one or two guys are overseas right now, so it’s definitely a younger team.
“The guys have been training and showing their class and I’m confident that we can show our class on game day.
Not willing to share much of his intended strategy for gaining victory, Sabir explained that he would be going over the plan of attack with the squad in advance of the Sunday.
“I plan on sitting down with the guys before the game to let them know the strategy and their roles,” he said. “I want to be able to talk to the guys on Friday night and make it clear what we want to do and allow them to sleep on it.
“I don’t want to have 11 guys that show up and go out and play without clear intentions and strategy of what we need guys to bowl, where to bowl and how we want to bat.
“Each of us has to be in tune with our roles.”
Coach Alex Dore concurred with his team’s skipper, believing that chances of success would be made more certain if each team member performed to the best of their ability.
“We have a lot of talented young guys like Sharye Tavares, along with Dominic Sabir and Jermal Proctor, two guys that are being looked at as possibly being part of the senior cup match team,” said Dore, who has a Colts Cup Match century to his credit and who is pushing for a place next Thursday and Friday. “It is going to be a difficult game being as St George’s also has a lot of very talented players.
“But on the day if our guys execute the basics of batting, bowling and fielding to the best of their abilities and do so as a team then we can come out victorious.
“That’s what we’re looking to do.”
St George’s Squad
Q’Shai Darrell [Captain], Aaron Paynter, Dean Simons, Isaiah O’Brien, Jahre Blakeney, Luke Fulton, Luke Horan, Shane Robinson, Jarryd Richardson, Jabari Darrell, Keegan Jones, Marcus Scotland, Zeri Tomlinson. Coach: Ryan Steede.
Somerset Squad
Dominic Sabir [Captain], Jermal Proctor [Vice-captain], Jaiden Manders, Sharye Tavares, Nirobi Mills, Callum MacIntosh, Dalin Richardson, Ajani Lee [Wicketkeeper], Darrien Gibbons, Callum MacFarland, Jamie MacFarland, Jamori Manders, Riley Martin, Khymie Richards. Coach: Alex Dore.
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