TT can spring surprise in Guyana

A YOUNG relatively inexperienced team was yesterday named to represent Trinidad and Tobago in the regional limited overs competition which bowls off on Saturday in Guyana. Seriously compromised by injuries to key players, the 14-man squad will be led by Test opener Daren Ganga and includes Jamaican-born allrounder Ricardo Powell, a member of the victorious West Indies team at the recent ICC Champions Trophy tournament in England. But despite its lack of depth in First Class match experience, manager Omar Khan yesterday expressed optimism in the young brigade who have been given a shot at stardom by the absence of their more well-known counterparts. “It’s a very talented bunch of cricketers brought together by the injuries to the high calibre players. It is an opportunity for them to step up and do really well. As you know  in one-day cricket anything can happen and we aim to spring some surprises,” said Khan.

He said the youngsters have been in a training squad since July under the supervision of coach David Williams, a former Trinidad and Tobago wicketkeeper and  a competent trainer Gerard Garcia who will both be accompanying the team to Guyana. And despite the absence of West Indies captain Brian Lara, Lendl Simmons and Dwayne Bravo who are all injured, he held out high hopes for the team’s batting. “We have a strong batting line-up led by Ganga, who has two Test centuries in his limited career at that level. There is Shazam Babwah, a solid middle-order batsman, young strokeplayers Gregory Mahabir and Jonathan Augustus; and enterprising left-handed-openers Imran Jan and Sherwin Ganga,” said Khan. The bowling department is also without the services of veteran fast bowler Mervyn Dillon, Ravi Rampaul and left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed.

But Khan thinks that pacers Reyad Emrit, Richard Kelly and Theodore Modeste backed up by off-spinners Powell, Rodney Sooklal and Samuel Badree can lift their game and do their country proud in the West Indies championship. Khan said the matches against the Windward Islands — a defeat for the home team on Sunday and a rain affected fixture yesterday — served its purpose as  it gave the players a chance at some much needed on-field competition. Khan, looked at as a future manager of the West Indies Test team, said he thought the Trinidad and Tobago batting yesterday was more purposeful and solid which heralds good results in Guyana. Trinidad and Tobago open their campaign in the one-day tournament on Saturday against Barbados at Enmore and will be in action also on Monday against Jamaica at Albion. Four teams progress to the semi-finals and final in Barbados.

Squad: Daren Ganga (capt), Imran Jan, Sherwin Ganga, Ricardo Powell, Gregory Mahabir, Shazam Babwah, Jonathan Augustus, Samuel Badree, Richard Kelly, Dinesh Ramdin, Reyad Emrit,  Theodore Modeste, Rodney Sooklal, Earnil Ryan; Omar Khan (manager), David Williams (coach); Gerard Garcia (trainer).