Spinners pivotal to Tobago’s chances at Courts T20 semi

Captain of the Canaan/Bon Accord- based team, Marcus Daniel, said that his team is confident of making amends after losing the final of the Courts Inter-Zone Championship three years ago, which was the forerunner of the present tournament.

“We are backing our slow bowlers to do the trick and get past HYO and into the final. We are not overconfident, but after a hiatus of several years we are back playing very good cricket and hope to go all the way,” said Daniel.

The all-rounder is part of the triumvirate which also comprises brothers Anthony and Antonio Providence, who are all off-spin bowlers with different styles, pace and guile, which have been very effective against their opposition so far in the tournament.

“No team has crossed 140 runs against us with Killdeer recording the highest of 138 in the preliminary round. Our strength is to restrict our opponents to manageable scores and back it up with solid batting,” said Daniel. He highlighted the performances of Ako George, Tobago’s 2017 “Senior Cricketer of the Year,” a UTT (University of Trinidad and Tobago) scholarship winner who is back in action after a serious injury, and whose stylish left-handed batting has helped him to more than 300 runs in all competitions this season.

Also expected to play a big role is opening batsman Joel Boyce, while Daniel himself is no rabbit with the bat, notching up a half century in the opening match of the Courts Inter- Club T20 and following that up with useful 29 in the quarter-final.

Meanwhile HYO are equally confident of qualifying for the final after inspiring performances in their two matches to date: beating North Zone winners Sweet Revenge by 25 runs, and squeaking past Central Zone champions Marchin Patriots by just one run.

Manager of the Hermitage Village team, Phillip Acham, said their success so far can be attributed to great teamwork and the injection of young talent with the signing up of Championship Division all-rounder Javed Mohammed who plays for Barrackpore in the South Zone competition, and Caldrac’s Under- 19 star Leonardo Julien.

Acham also points to his most successful wicket-taker Shazad Manshoor, another clever off-spinner in the forthcoming contest who will surely relish the slow, turning NCC track having taken three wickets in each of the two matches HYO has played so far in the tournament.

“This is the first time we have reached so far in the T20 competition, but have already tasted success as winners of the Senior Division of the South Zone, and qualifying for the Courts Inter-Club T20 as runners- up to Woodland,” said Acham.

“We will be going all out, and expect a tough match. A lot is at stake for us and we will be pushing back hard at what the Tobago side will be coming with,” said a cautious Acham.