TT cricketers set for first practice match

A four-day practice match involving Trinidad and Tobago’s cricketers is expected to start tomorrow at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Couva from 10 am. Inclement weather prevented a proposed match last weekend and the selectors and players are  hoping that there will be on-field action which will help to prepare the team for the Carib Beer Series which gets underway on January 7. TT will clash with Guyana in the opening round match at the NCC ground and it will be a key home advantage fixture. Seven senior players including skipper Daren Ganga, his younger brother Sherwin, West Indies youth captain Dinesh Ramdin as well as Test captain Brian Lara, Dwayne Bravo, Ricardo Powell and Mervyn Dillon will not be involved.

They are expected to start their training today in the West Indies camp being held in Barbados under the guidance of newly-appointed coach Bennett King. The players who did not sign the tour camp-contract were given two extra days after the impasse between the West Indies Board and West Indies Players Association agreed to certain steps in solving the contractual clauses which are a major concern by the players. Those who do not make the final West Indies squad will return home and become part of the TT team for the Carib Beer Series. Dudnath Ramkissoon, chairman of TT senior selection panel, and fellow selectors Roland Sampath and David Williams were due to finalise the two captains and the teams for the match tomorrow.

Former successful West Indies youth captain Tishan Maraj and hard-hitting middle-order batsman Shazam Babwah are the two likely candidates to lead the teams in the practice matches. Meanwhile, West Indies youthful pacer Ravi Rampaul started his training session with the squad yesterday at the Sir Frank Worrell Development Centre. According to Ramkissoon, Rampaul will not participate in the four-day practice match. He needs to get back gradually into action following gym work and treatment to help him recover from the shin-splints.