Nation should be proud says manager

TRINIDAD and Tobago should be proud of the exploits of their young cricket team who yesterday defied the odds in qualifying for the semi-finals of the President’s Cup regional one-day tournament. Led by Daren Ganga, the team seriously compromised by the absence through injury of several of its key players yesterday featured in another thrilling victory, defeating the Leeward Islands by eight runs at Uitvlugt, Guyana. By virtue of their three victories in five matches, Trinidad and Tobago joined table-toppers Barbados, the Windward Islands and defending champions Guyana in the last four who will do   battle in Barbados for the big prize. On Thursday, Trinidad and Tobago play hosts Barbados in the first semi-final while Guyana oppose the Windwards in the second match on Friday.

Yesterday, manager of the TT team, Omar Khan said that his team, which has been written off by the critics, has demonstrated their talent and character by advancing to the semi-finals of the tournament. “The young guys have done their country and the game proud. It is still a learning experience for many of them and it augers well for the future,” an elated Khan said. He said the mission in Guyana was to qualify for the last four and with this objective out of the way, Trinidad and Tobago will now focus on the semi-final and the team intends to go all the way to the final. “The boys are all happy at their achievement. They know what they have done. And it is now on to the next phase of the competition, winning the President’s Cup,” said Khan yesterday. Trinidad and Tobago started the tournament in sensational fashion last Saturday overturning a strongly fancied Barbados team but lost to hosts Guyana on Monday.

They bounced back to whip Jamaica on Wednesday but lost again, this time to the Windwards on Saturday. Needing to whip the Leewards yesterday to stay in the competition, the TT boys gave another mature performance defending a total of 219 built around a fighting innings of 41 by  wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin who also made a vital contribution in the losing cause on Saturday. Yesterday Khan was full of praise for young Ramdin whose presence in the middle order yesterday helped the team to their eventual total which posed a challenge to the Leewards.

After Saturday’s nerve-wracking one-run loss to the Windwards, Khan said the players knew that they had thrown away an easy match after two players were senselessly run out in the dying stages. “They are young players and in a situation of that kind they panicked. But they are learning all the time and the experience they are getting will make them better in the long run,” said Khan. The Trinidad and Tobago team, which was based at the Grand Coastal Inn, near Georgetown leave Guyana today for Barbados where they will hope to beat them again to keep their hopes alive of winning the regional limited over competition for the second time in eight years. The final is carded for Sunday (October 31) with the following day set as the reserve day.