Ganga to lead TT in Carib Beer Series

DAREN GANGA will captain Trinidad and Tobago in the 2005 Carib Beer Series which begins on January 7. TT will open their West Indies Cricket Board First Class season campaign against Guyana in a first round match at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, Couva, Central Trinidad, from January 7 to 10. Ganga successfully led TT to an historic President’s Cup triumph in October. The President’s Cup victory was significant in that seven frontline players including West Indies skipper Brian Lara, Dwayne Bravo, Mervyn Dillon, Ravi Rampaul and Dave Mohammed were missing from the squad because of injuries.

Ganga, 25,  inspired his young and inexperienced team to whip Barbados twice — in the first round in Guyana and then at the semi-final in Bridgetown. And to crown a most impressive showing the youthful Trinidadians toppled former champion Guyana in the final at the Kensington Oval. The triumph gave TT their first regional title in eight years. Selection panel chairman Dudnath Ramkessoon, along with Roland Sampath and coach David Williams, agreed Ganga is the man, but said,  “the announcement will be made at the right time.” The selectors are due to view the final senior two-day trial match, which starts on Tuesday at the NCC, before naming the 14-member squad for the game against Guyana.