Dillon, Bravo lead final trial teams

WEST INDIES players Mervyn Dillon and Dwayne Bravo will be at the helm of two teams which will participate in the final trial match to be played over three days starting tomorrow, as Trinidad and Tobago prepare for this year’s Carib Beer Series. Dependent on the weather conditions, the match will most likely be played at Gilbert Park, California, or the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Couva. Confirmation of the venue will be made today after officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board inspect the venues. Dudnath Ramkissoon, chairman of the national selection panel, confirmed that the 14-member squad for the regional series would be announced at the end of this match.

Plans to select the squad at the end of the Pizza Hut/Gerry Gomez Cricket Classic were thwarted because of the low scores by batsmen and prevalent rain stoppages, which prevented four full days of action. He agreed that only South captain Daren Ganga who made an invaluable 107 displayed the “type of application and temperament which is required on a pitch which was not conducive to strokeplay. “The other batsmen failed to apply themselves and were not prepared to fight harder on the conditions, which presented it during the match. The players have to appreciate that adjustment have to be made” said Ramkissoon.

Ganga who copped the “Man of the Match” award in the North vs South classic, will be taking a rest from the action during this match. His omission will allow another batsman the opportunity to address the selectors. Apart Ganga, only Dwayne Bravo distinguished himself with 51 in North’s first innings. Kyron Lynch (four for 49), Dave Mohammed (four for 23), Richard Kelly (six for 63) were the only bowlers who scalped four wickets or more in any innings. Medium pacer Kelly was the most outstanding bowler with a match analysis of nine for 81 (three for 18 and six for 63).

Trial teams: TEAM A: Mervyn Dillon (capt), Tishan Maraj, Sherwin Ganga, Gregory Mahabir, Lendl Simmons, Ricardo Powell, Samuel Badree, Dinesh Ramdin, Dave Mohammed, Rodney Sooklal, Brent Harriot, and Richard Harris.
TEAM B: Dwayne Bravo (capt), Earnil Ryan, Imran Khan, Kenton Thompson, Shazam Babwah, Richard Kelly, Gibran Mohammed, Ravi Rampaul, Amit Jaggernauth, R. Mohammed, Kyron Lynch and Theodore Modeste.