Confident TT go after Windwards

Trinidad and Tobago senior cricketers are confident of defeating the Windward Islands today in their crucial third round clash of  the regional Red Stripe Bowl one-day series.

This according to manager of the team Omar Khan, speaking to Newsday after a team practice session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Kingston, Jamaica. “We are obviously confident of victory. They are not ranked among the stronger teams in the Caribbean and we think that we have done enough preparation to get a win,” Khan said. TT have won both their Group “A” matches so far in the tournament and sit atop the standings  with eight points. Their first victory came against the Leewards XI last Wednesday, while the second was at the expense of Canada on Sunday. In that match West Indies captain Brian Lara pounded the North American attack for an unbeaten 48 that led the team to victory. A win today will guarantee Trinidad and Tobago a place in the knockout phase of the tournament.

In the opening encounter captain Daren Ganga piloted the team to full points with a fighting innings as TT won a rain-affected match through the Duckworth/Lewis system. Yesterday talented all-rounder Dwayne Bravo was still nursing an ankle injury and will have to pass a fitness test prior to the match today. “Bravo had a fitness test today and came through well enough but there was still some pain in the ankle. We are hoping that in the morning the pain subsides and that he can pass to take his place on the team. “Apart from that the other players are well and the team spirit is great at the moment. Lara is back with the team after his sponsorship engagement in Trinidad and we  are really looking forward to the match against the Windwards,” said Khan. “I am still a bit worried about our top-order where we haven’t been able to get a good start. The openers owe the team a good start and probably from here on they will be giving us that kind of foundation that Lara and Ganga could build on for a good score. “The bowling has been very good so far and leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine is back to his best  form. He has been bowling great in this tournament and we are looking forward to him getting amongst the Windwards batsmen,” Khan said. So far Ramnarine has taken seven wickets in two matches, including figures of five for 27 in the last match against Canada. TT last won the regional limited overs title in 1997 under the leadership of Lara. The last time they claimed the First Class title was 18 years ago when off-spinner Rangy Nanan was at the helm.

TT team: Daren Ganga (capt), Andy Jackson, Imran Jan, Dwayne Bravo, Brian Lara, Shazam Babwah, Gibran Mohammed, Dinanath Ramnarine, Riyad Emrit, Mervyn Dillon, Theodore Modeste, Dave Mohammed and Rodney Sooklal.