Simmons doubtful; Rampaul will play

Top Trinidad and Tobago Under-19 batsman Lendl Simmons was in bed yesterday resting his injured instep, hoping to improve his chances of playing against defending champions Barbados in the semi-finals of the TCL Group Under-19 Cricket Challenge int Wales, Guyana today. Manager of the team Roland Sampath said yesterday Simmonds is recovering slowly and has a 50-50 chance of playing today. Another main player on the injury list is fast bowler Ravi Rampaul. However Sampath revealed that Rampaul would lead the bowling attack against the Barbadians. “Ravi is definitely going to play despite the stiffness in his neck. We will nurse him through the matches and hopefully everything would work out well,” he said.

Sampath said the players are a bit tired as a consequence of the non-stop cricket in the sweltering heat of Guyana. “The weather here is not too kind. It is very hot and starting to take a toll on the players. “However they are confident that they can get some revenge against the Barbadians who took the title last year with a narrow win the final.” Barbados won the championship in Jamaica last year by one wicket after TT had secured first innings points. This season TT have been the top team in the competition, winning the knockout title and topping their group in the league contest. They inflicted heavy defeats on the Windwards and Rest of America, before taking first innings points against Jamaica in their final preliminary round clash on Friday. The last time TT won the regional Under-19 league title was in 1987. Meanwhile, national senior team manager Omar Khan held a reception for the team at the Grand Coastal Hotel on Friday night. Included among his guests were the West Indies youth selectors, headed by Trinidadian Joey Carew.