Sooklal puts TT cricket team in a spin

The Trinidad and Tobago cricket team was expected to be announced yesterday but the national selectors had to convene an emergency meeting to discuss the availability of spinner Rodney Sooklal.

The Tile It Cricket Club off-spinner was originally selected in a squad of 18 but his hand is still injured and the selectors were awaiting a report from his doctor on his availability. A source close to the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) said yesterday Sooklal, who played in last season’s Red Stripe Bowl was picked but his hand is believed to be still not fully healed. “However he is keen to play and his doctor will decide if he is fit enough for the regional one-day tournament. The national selectors were to release the full team yesterday but they were told to wait until Sooklal’s report is in,” the source said. Sooklal missed the three-match Angostura Cricket Classic over the last two weekends with the hand injury. In his absence fellow off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth made a serious bid for selection with six wickets and a score of best score of 19 in the series.

The other spinners were also impressive. Dinanath Ramnarine was very tidy and Dave Mohammed scored 62 and took three for 30 in the first match. A 14-man squad will be released today with four players as reserves. The players will go into a camp at the National Cricket Centre in preparation for the tournament starting on October 1. The TTCB is also expected to name Roland Sampath as the team coach.  Last year former Test fast bowler Ian Bishop was named coach with Dudnath Ramkeesoon as the manager. The last time Trinidad and Tobago won the regional limited overs title was in 1997 when they shared the title with Guyana. The previous year a Rajindra Dhanraj hat-trick led them to the title over the Guyanese.