Anxious TT await Kenyans in Tobago

An anxious Trinidad and Tobago team arrived in Tobago yesterday eagerly looking forward to their third round Carib Beer Series regional cricket clash against Kenya at Shaw Park tomorrow. The national team, fresh from a seven-wicket victory over West Indies “B” at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain on Monday arrived full of enthusiasm yesterday. They touched down at Crown Point International Airport at 7.55 am and were whisked away to the Golden Thistle Hotel, Storebay. In the afternoon they visited the Shaw Park facility for a light workout. Manager Omar Khan said that the outfield is pretty good but the wicket still needed a lot work before the four-day match.

Khan, however, added that the ground staff was working feverishly to get the venue in top shape and that everything will be in place for the start. Meanwhile Khan reported that all his players were fit and ready to go. “Obviously the guys are very confident and ready to tackle the Kenyans. They gained a lot of confidence after the first innings victory against the Leewards in the first round and the outright victory over the West Indies ‘B’ earlier this week. We are on 18 points at present and will be looking for full points in this match which will set us up nicely for the rest of the series,” he said. The Kenyans who were scheduled to arrive at the Gulf View Hotel last night are expected to practice at Shaw Park this morning. After a first round loss to the West Indies “B,” they rebounded by scoring over 600 runs against the Leewards. However their bowling was not up to scratch and the Leewards replied with 700-plus runs. Khan added that the Kenyans are an international side and his boys will be mindful of that. “There is nothing like overconfidence in the camp at the moment, due to the approach we have taken this year.

Tonight we will be sitting down with the guys to have a look at where they are as far as their personal goals are concerned and also the team’s goal. We think by using this method the player is always motivated and the team as a whole benefits,” he said. Trinidad and Tobago will be without Tishan Maraj who scored three half centuries in four innings to date.  He has been replaced in the team by Queen’s Park all-rounder Earnil Ryan. Maraj is about to enter a training camp organised by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for their Under-19 team. West Indies players Daren Ganga and Dave Mohammed will not be back in time for this match but will join the team for the fourth round clash against the Windwards at the Queen’s Park Oval next week.

TT team: Imran Jan (capt), Dwayne Bravo, Shazam Babwah, Kenton Thompson, Aneil Kanhai, Earnil Ryan, Gibran Mohammed, Ryad Emrit, Marlon Black, Devindra Krishna, Amit Jaggernauth, Theodore Modeste and Rodney Sooklal.