Spinner Krishna fights to get fit

Injured Tile It Central Sports spinner Devindra Krishna is trying to beat the clock and get himself fit in time for the first match of the 2004 Carib Beer Cricket Series regional tournament at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre against the Leeward Islands. Krishna’s first selection to the national senior team has been dampened by a shoulder injury he sustained while playing for South in the annual Pizza Hut/Gerry Gomez Cricket Classic at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain on Saturday. The Trinidad and Tobago selectors headed by Dudnath Ramkeesoon still went ahead and named him for the opening match with the hope that he recovers in time to take on the Leewards.

The selectors have also named off-spinner Rodney Sooklal in the team as cover for Krishna. Either of the two is expected to join off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth in a twin spin attack against the islanders. Manager of the Trinidad and Tobago cricket team, Omar Khan, said yesterday he is confident that Krishna will be fit in time for the match. “We would like a full complement of players to select from for the opening match and we are confident that Devindra Krishna will be able to join the rest of the players when match time comes,” he said. “We have taken Krishna to see Dr Terrence Babwah and so far everything seems alright and only time will tell how quickly the injury heals. Krishna is going to have a fitness test before the start of the match and hopefully he will come through,” Khan said.

“The rest are all fit and ready. Confidence and team spirit are very good at the moment. We would like the public to turn out to lend support to this young team and we are going to do well against the Leewards,” he said. Meanwhile the national team began their training in midday heat yesterday at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) and underwent a rigorous training session before taking to the nets. The team will break camp today and the players will re-unite before the start of the match against the Leewards. The Leeward Islands team arrived in Trinidad last night and were whisked away to the Accent Villa Hotel at St Joseph Village, Marabella. They will practise at Guaracara Park this morning, while the Trinidad and Tobago team will have a light work out at the NCC.

TT team: Imran Jan (capt), Dwayne Bravo, Tishan Maraj, Aneil Kanhai, Ricardo Powell, Shazam Babwah, Gibran Mohammed, Kenton Thompson, Amit Jaggernauth, Marlon Black, Theodore Modeste, Ryad Emrit, Devindra Krishna and Rodney Sooklal. Coach David Williams and manager Omar Khan.