GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) - The Guyana 13-man cricket squad, along with coach Albert Smith and manager Carl Moore, will leave tomorrow morning for Trinidad where they will begin their 2008 Carib Beer regional four-day first-class cricket campaign on Friday.

The Ramnaresh Sarwan-led squad concluded their four-day camp yesterday morning with a practice session at the Guyana National Stadium before the players returned to their respective homes for traditional Old Year’s Night activities across Guyana.

Manager Carl Moore said he is satisfied that a lot of work was done during the short encampment period and opined that the fitness level of the players is “extremely high” as the team, hunting their eighth first-class title and first in six years, prepared for their first three overseas games in Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica.

The Guyanese return home on January 23.

Moore said Sarwan, who missed the West Indies tour to South Africa due to an ankle injury, is back to full fitness and anxious to return to competitive cricket.

“Sarwan is eager to get back on the pitch and his return as captain is a big advantage to the team, since he seems to be able to get the best from especially the young players.

He played a big role in the camp and even without (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul, who should be available from the fourth round, we are determined do our best away from home,” Moore said.

He feels that batting is Guyana’s strength with Sarwan, Narsingh Deonarine and Sewnarine Chattergoon having West Indies senior-team experience and Travis Dowlin in good form.

Assad Fudadin, Leon Johnson and debutant Gajanand Singh have all represented the West Indies at youth level and Moore says this is an ideal opportunity for the youngsters to step up and show that they can be successful at this higher level.

The bowling attack is a young one but Moore feels the pitches in the first three games should provide much more help to the fast bowlers than the ones in Guyana and he thinks this could help his young pace attack, which will be spearheaded by Esaun Crandon.

Jeremy Gordon, 22, and 19-year-old Brandon Bess are genuinely quick and should be supported by West Indies Under-19 left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and off-spinner Zaheer Mohamed.

Guyana’s biggest headache could be the return to regional cricket of the 38-year-old former West Indies captain Brian Lara.

The batting maestro scored the last of his three centuries against Guyana — and 10 at regional first-class level — last year in South Trinidad when he made 153 after being dropped early in his innings by wicketkeeper Derwin Christian.

Moore says that while Lara’s presence could provide a stern challenge for his team, it could also inspire the bowlers to lift their game to another level and create the type of atmosphere that has been absent from regional matches in recent times.

“The guys are aware that Lara is coming back to play and they are all pumped up to meet the challenge.

With Lara and Sarwan playing in the same game at Queen’s Park, a big crowd should be on hand and that in itself should motivate the players on both sides to produce competitive cricket. This will be good for West Indies cricket,” Moore added.