By Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer 
Members of the Guyana team which arrived here yesterday for Thursday's start of the Busta International Shield final. The Guyanese arrived without captain Carl Hooper, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Mahendra Nagamootoo. The four are due in today. - Norman Grindley /Staff Photographer
A CONFIDENT Guyana team flew into the island yesterday for Thursday's start of the Busta International Shield final against Busta Cup champions Jamaica at Sabina Park.
"We are happy now to have the West Indies players here with us. We started out poorly but have been playing better cricket ever since," coach Albert Smith said on his arrival at the Norman Manley Inter-national Airport.
Captain Carl Hooper, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Mahendra Nagamootoo were left behind and will arrive here this morning. They were a part of the West Indies 22-man training squad in Trinidad & Tobago.
West Indies pacer Colin Stuart who was not in the team which lost to Jamaica by seven wickets has recoved from injury. He, along with follow Test fast bowler Reon King, were among the players who arrived yesterday.
Guyana will have their first training session this morning at Sabina Park. Jamaica will train later in the afternoon.
Smith expects Hooper, Chanderpaul, Sarwan and Stuart to make a big difference to the team which lost to Jamaica in the preliminary round of the Busta Cup.
"Yes I think the opportunity exits, but one of our major concerns is our bowling. We need to do much better than we have been doing, but I think this team will give a good account of themselves.
"Both teams can be proud about their batting, Guyana actually have the West Indies middle order batting. Jamaica have the other gaps other than Brian Lara, they have Chris Gayle and others coming down in the order, so it will be a keen contest. But definitely our bowling will have to be outstanding," Smith added.
The Guyanese scored 491 in their semi-final against Leeward Islands and Smith said they were confident that it would have been enough but the Leewards led by their skipper, Stuart Williams (252 not out) reached 452 for five when rain stopped play.
"The Leewards had a good pitch and they batted very well but our main bowler Nagamootoo had a finger injury and could not bowl at his best and most of the bowlers did not have a good day."
Smith said his team will be hoping to get more than the 491 in Thursday's game as that was not enough against the Leeward Island.
"We will be looking to get a good start so that the middle order batsmen can build on it," concluded Smith.
Squad: Carl Hooper (captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Azeemul Haniff, Sernarine Chattergoon, Lennox Cush, Neil McGarrell, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Reon King, Colin Stuart, Kevin Darlington, Azib Alli Hanif, Andre Percival. Coach Albert Smith and manager Patrick Legall.
