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Budding fast-bowling talent Shamar Joseph will be considered for the West Indies’ selection for the World T20, which the Caribbean co-hosts alongside the United States of America from June 1-29.

Several former players and pundits have called for Joseph’s selection to the squad despite his limited experience in the shortest format.

Joseph has only played two List A and two Twenty20 matches and is yet to feature for Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Joseph burst onto the scene in his debut series in Australia earlier this year, picking five wickets in his maiden Test in Adelaide.

He followed that up with a magical display in Brisbane where, bowling with a broken toe, the pacer claimed 7-68 to help West Indies record their first Test win in Australia in 27 years.

Speaking Monday at a press conference organised by Cricket West Indies in Barbados, Sammy reiterated that with just one to two spots open, Joseph would be a candidate.

The Head Coach revealed concerns over the team’s Powerplay bowling- averaging 10 runs per over- and that is where the attention is for the two looming spots.

West Indies white-ball Head Coach Daren Sammy

“He is quality; he is one of the brightest prospects we had in a while from a fast-bowling perspective…he is in contention, but it will be a collective decision in the end on which one of those fast-bowlers will make it to the World Cup team, so I do hope, I will get to see enough which will allow me a fair assessment of the skillset of Mr. Joseph in the T20 format,” the Head Coach related when questioned on the likelihood of Joseph’s selection.

According to the former player, who captained West Indies to two World T20 titles, Joseph brings the element of pace to the table.

Consistent line and length has worked for Joseph in red ball cricket, and according to Sammy: “It’s something for 24 balls in different game stages we are looking for.”

Noting that T20 and Test bring two different dimensions, Sammy further explained, “I am not one who looks at the hype; hype without substance is still overrated…hopefully he gets to play T20 cricket, and we see what he can do under pressure, every single ball because that is what it is, and we select from there.”

The cut-off date for submitting teams for the World T20, as set by the International Cricket Council (ICC), is May 1. However, every team has the option of making one change to their initial squad until May 25.

West Indies have an A-team tour to Nepal from April 27-May 5, but it is unclear whether players who are in the IPL but not actively engaged would be in the squad.

The league stage of the IPL ends on May 19, while the final is on May 24.

More so, West Indies will host South Africa in Jamaica for three Twenety20 Internationals on the heels of the World T20 as part of further preparation to become the first host territory to win the World T20.

West Indies are in Group C alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan, Uganda and Papa New Guinea.

The two-time champions play two group matches in Guyana (v Papa New Guinea and Uganda), one in Trinidad and Tobago (v New Zealand), and one in St. Lucia (v Afghanistan).

[Reuters] – Guyana’s efforts to use its natural gas resources to fuel a power plant that would slash the South American nation’s energy costs have snagged on construction delays and threaten to curtail the rising oil hotspot‘s revenue this year by about $1 billion.

The $1.9 billion gas-to-power project, Guyana’s biggest effort to capitalize on its energy bounty, is embroiled in legal fights and risks cost overruns. The first phase of a 300-megawatt (MW) power plant is running six months behind schedule and full operation is not expected until the fourth quarter of 2025, officials have said.

Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), opens new tab, which operates all the oil and gas production in Guyana, is building a 140-mile (225-km) gas pipeline from its offshore Stabroek block to supply the government’s project onshore: a power plant, a related natural gas processing facility and transmission lines.

The U.S. oil major’s part of the project, the about $1 billion pipeline, will be ready by year-end as promised to Guyana, said Exxon Guyana country manager Alistair Routledge. That is despite having nothing to connect it to onshore because of delays on the works managed by the government.

The Stabroek block, site of the country’s first commercial oil and gas discovery in 2015, currently produces crude – about 645,000 barrels per day (bpd). The new power plant will be the first to use the associated gas produced from the oil field that to date has been re-injected underground.

The gas pipeline completion will require Exxon to pause production in the third quarter at two oil production vessels to connect them to the undersea pipeline, Routledge said.

If the tie-in lasts four weeks, Exxon and its consortium partners Hess (HES.N), opens new tab and China’s CNOOC (0883.HK), opens new tab would have to halt up to 12 million barrels of oil output from two platforms that produce 400,000 bpd at peak levels.

Based on Guyana’s recent sale at $85 per barrel, that could mean over $1 billion in deferred oil revenue.

An Exxon spokesperson last week declined to specify how long the production halt will last. Routledge had said the pipeline connection and maintenance works would take “weeks, not months.”

The executive said Exxon is not worried about having to shut production this year for a project that will not be ready to accept the gas at least until sometime in 2025.

When the gas-fired power plant is ready is “a question of timing,” said Routledge.

“It’s hard to have all the facilities ready at the same time.” As soon as the onshore facilities are ready, “the whole thing will start up and all those benefits will flow to the country,” he said.

Guyana will miss the chance to slash its power costs this year because of the project delay. It imports expensive fuel oil for an aged and often faulty power facility. When fully running on natural gas, the new plant will reduce the nation’s power costs by 50%, officials have said.

“Of course we are doing the best we can, but we have to be realistic,” Winston Brassington, who coordinates the power project as a consultant for Guyana’s Ministry of Natural Resources, said in an interview in February.

While it is not uncommon for major projects to run behind schedule, Guyana’s government faces a presidential and parliamentary election next year and is keen to deliver tangible benefits to the nation’s 750,000 residents.

“There is more pavement in the city,” says fruit vendor Michael Bharrat, 23, when asked about the most visible signs of development brought by the nation’s oil boom. “The government could be doing more to help poor people,” he said.

Government officials are anxious to fulfill a 2020 election promise to cut residents’ energy costs and want to use the gas for industries that can create jobs or for exports as liquefied natural gas.

The government has been pressing Exxon and its partners, which prior to this project have focused on oil, to develop the country’s gas resources.

“There is a window of opportunity between now and the end of the decade to monetize and maximize the value of Guyana’s natural gas resources,” President Mohamed Irfaan Ali told oil executives during a conference in Georgetown in February. “We need to develop our gas now.”

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

Critics of the project say there are a lot of decisions yet to be made and little clarity over the next steps, including who will operate the power plant and market the gas-liquids such as propane produced by the related gas-processing facility.

Meanwhile, two contractors hired by the government for the project have filed for arbitration over costs overruns of $90 million and residents have filed lawsuits claiming unfair compensation for land taken to build the project.

“What rate will Guyana be paying for the unusable or unused gas? Is the gas sales agreement completed?” asked Elizabeth Hughes, a land owner whose family land was expropriated for the project. “There are so many questions unanswered, there is no transparency at all.”

Bharrat Jagdeo, Guyana’s vice president, told Reuters in February the project is following its new schedule and will stay within its original budget.

“We believe this is nothing to worry about,” Jagdeo said. “It is a two-year project, will take a few more months, but not a year” to complete.

Wally David, 66, a retired trolling boat mechanic, smiles when asked if the government he voted for in 2020 will deliver on its promise to build the gas-to-power project as promised.

“I think it will get done someday,” he says from his home in Georgetown, where he complains a road construction project outside his house run by the government is behind schedule.

“Maybe in three, four years, just not now.”

 

More than 40 youngsters were part of the three-day clinic

Meanwhile, overseas-based Guyanese Dr. Frank Denbow, who is the brainchild of this bowling clinic, hailed the first clinic as a success and saw the need for a second clinic.

“This idea (of having Sir Curtly in Berbice) came about when I was watching the West Indies Under-19 vs England Under-19 in September 2021. I saw Isai Thorne, at that time he was 16 years old, and he was the fastest bowler. He was destined for greatness, so I made contact via a friend who knew the then BCB President, Hilbert Foster, and I pitched idea to him, to have Sir Curtly doing a three-day camp in Berbice.”

“I said I wanted Sir Curtly because I found him to be the most disciplined fast bowler. He has the best economy rate among fast bowlers who took more than 200 wickets. Mr. Foster made it come through in 2022, and it was a success. Several players in that group went on to play for Guyana, and one played for the West Indies,” Denbow explained.

Dr. Denbow added: “There is another fast bowler who will play for the West Indies within 18 months. After the success in 2022, we went ahead to have the second camp.”

Berbice Cricket Board President Dr. Cecil Beharry also thanked Dr. Denbow and Sir Curtly on another historic visit. He advised the youngsters to return to the club and continue to work on their games.

“What you learnt from Sir Curtly is not for you to do when he is here alone, but you need to develop it with your coaches at your club. That is the hope we at the BCB have for you, so you can do better, and do well for Berbice, Guyana and the West Indies,” President Beharry said.

The youngsters who were present expressed gratitude to Sir Curtly for his sharing his knowledge.

Guyana Under-15 fast bowler Arif Khan and national captain Adrian Hetmyer were among those present at the camp.

Some of the Berbice Under-19 female cricketers were also present on day two. The clinic was held from April 5-7.