Batsmen failed says Antoine

TRINIDAD and Tobago cricket team manager Giles Antoine expressed his disappointment with the batsmen in the Carib Beer Series regional cricket match against Guyana over the weekend. TT lost to Guyana by 148 runs on Monday at the Albion Ground. Some measure of respectability was restored through the efforts of Dinesh Ramdin who scored his maiden First Class century (107) but his efforts were in vain as TT lost their third consecutive match. It was a big setback in the team’s aspirations to qualify for the Carib Beer Challenge Trophy final.

Commenting on the team’s showing, Antoine said yesterday: “The team did not bat properly in both innings. The batsmen did not apply themselves moreso in the first innings which was important to close the gap between the two teams.” Antoine said the Guyanese applied themselves and put the TT bowlers under a lot of  pressure. “They held out for long periods and took full advantage of the perfect batting conditions. We would have batted, had we won the toss,” Antoine said. “The pitch played pretty good for three days and was even very good for batting on the fourth. “It was a typical fourth day pitch with a few questionably bounces at different stages. Our batsmen failed to apply themselves,” he said.

“Only one player got a century in the second innings while there were a few low scores. There was a need for a couple of fifties, sixties and among the frontline batsmen. It did not happen and we ended up losing the match outright,” the manager said. Antoine is looking ahead and said that the players will have to understand the need to be more disciplined when batting. He said the TT team will train at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain today from 1 pm to 4 pm. Dudnath Ramkissoon, chairman of selectors, revealed that the TT team for the match against Windward Islands starting Friday at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre will be named today after the training session.