Logie wants TT youths flourish

The Red Force will open their four-day campaign against the Windward Islands at the Queen’s Park Oval in a day/night match bowling off on November 11.

Several of the young batsmen in the TT setup made a name for themselves in the practice matches and Logie is keenly anticipating the start of the season.

“We’ve had four practice games and they all went pretty well.

We had some batsmen coming into their own, we had five centuries scored in that time. We had quite a few five-wicket hauls from bowlers so I would like to think that most of the players have shown good form, they have shown good fitness and we look forward to the start of the season,” he said.

Akiel Cooper (104), Jyd Goolie (107 not out), Jeremy Solozano (103 not out), Yannick Ottley (101) and Isaiah Rajah (127 not out) all made centuries in the trial matches. Of the century makers, only Ottley has been a regular starter on the team over the past few seasons which creates competition within the team. Logie explained that Jason Mohammed and Kyle Hope scored centuries for the West Indies A team recently and will boost the team when they line up for TT this season.

Grabbing five-wicket hauls during the practice matches were spinners Ricky Jaipaul and Khary Pierre, while Imran Khan, Bryan Charles, Kerwin Sirju, Jon Russ Jagessar and Kavesh Kantasingh (all spinners) had four-wicket hauls.

Logie added, “I think it is good (to see young players scoring runs). It is good to see young players grabbing the opportunity with both hands and addressing the selectors. I think we had a century from Yannick Ottley as well so that’s good to see and if they can take that into the fourday game and beyond that will be quite pleasing. I think a lot of work has been put in pre-season with some of those players and it is nice to see them rewarded with runs on the board and wickets as well.” The TT batting has been below par in recent times and Logie is hoping his batsmen will spend time at the crease.

“The format calls for that (occupying the crease.) It calls for patience. At the end of the day we’ve talked about that, the players have the skill. It’s about them having the will to succeed. I do feel we have the quality to really and truly give a good shot at the four-day championships. In the end we have committed ourselves to winning both championships (four-day and 50-over) and having a record-breaking season and we are not going to deviate from that.” The spinners will be instrumental in TT’s bowling attack this season but Logie believes the team has a balanced attack.

“We are going to be playing some of our games overseas and sometimes the conditions do not always dictate that the spinners take charge, but certainly we have seen spinners really and truly doing well in our regional competitions, the pitches are conducive to it.

“But as I said before, we also need to have a varied attack and I think we have a varied attack this season, once utilised properly we should be able to reap rewards.” The TT coach also expects Jamaican fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell and all rounder Roshon Primus to make an impact in their first season with the Red Force.