Emrit recalled, looks to help TT youths

Emrit has been overlooked since missing out on the start of the season on November 11 after deciding to take his talents to the Bangladesh Premier League. Emrit, a former captain, has taken 171 first class wickets from 83 matches and is a useful lower order batsman with three centuries and five half-centuries at an average of 19.14. At 36 years old, Emrit’s experience is desperately needed on a team currently struggling in a transition period.

The Red Force are once again toiling in this format, currently fifth in the six-team table with two wins and four defeats and only five points ahead of last-placed Windward Islands.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Emrit declared: “Always a pleasure and good feeling to represent the Red Force. It’s the first four day game for the season for me so I’m looking to keep my spot and hopefully we can get some good results from this game going forward.” Emrit believes, the Red Force youngsters need a bit of guidance throughout the season and is hoping to fill that void.

“Obviously my experience (will help). The last game (against Guyana Jaguars), we lacked a bit of experience in the bowling department even though the bowling did well. With my all-round ability with the bat, I’ll try and score some runs in the lower order. If I can do that and help the captain (Kyle Hope) with my experience, hopefully we can get the result that we need.” Emrit, asked if competing at the Bangladesh Premier League, Also boosting the pace department is Jamaican left-armer Sheldon Cottrell who was injured for the last round. Opening batsman Jeremy Solozano, dropped for round seven, is back in the TT squad.

Batsmen Evin Lewis and Jason Mohammed were ruled out from selection since they are in Barbados preparing with the West Indies team for the T20 series against Pakistan. Exciting 20-year-old bowling all-rounder Anderson Phillip has been retained in the squad after making his debut against the Guyana Jaguars in the previous round.

Jamaica are coming off an embrassing defeat to the Leeward Islands Hurricans ina low scoring affair at Sabina Park. Jamaica were bowled out for 56 in the first innings and managed just 114 in their second turn at the crease.

Red Force squad: Kyle Hope (captain), Jeremy Solozano, Yannic Cariah, Nicholas Alexis, Imran Khan, Rayad Emrit, Sheldon Cottrell, Steven Katwaroo, Marlon Richards, Bryan Charles, Khary Pierre, Isaiah Rajah, Anderson Phillip.

Jamaica Scorpions squad: Nikita Miller (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Damion Jacobs, Brandon King, Andre McCarthy, Marquino Mindley, Paul Palmer Jr, Rovman Powell, Devon Thomas, Oraine Williams, John Campbell, Fabian Allen, Derval Green.