Windies stars in TT line-up

THE RETURN of four star players to the national line-up will greatly improve Trinidad and Tobago’s chances of winning this year’s regional one-day cricket championship starting next week in Guyana. Team manager Omar Khan said yesterday that the inclusion of West Indies captain Brian Lara, Mervyn Dillon, Dwayne Bravo and Ricardo Powell will have a significant effect on the performance of the team. And he is counting on the momentum of their recent participation in the Champions Trophy which the West Indies won on Saturday with a thrilling and dramatic victory against England at The Oval in London. The quartet returned home on Monday and are expected to make themselves available for national duty in Guyana for the preliminary round of the championship from October 16 to 24.

However Khan said yesterday that both Lara and Dillon are nursing minor injuries and will not be involved in practice matches at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva this weekend. However Bravo, regarded as one of the world’s brightest young prospects and Powell, a hard-hitting batsman who is among the best fieldsmen in international cricket are likely to turn up for the tune-ups. Khan said 13 players have been engaged in intensive sessions at Balmain three days a week under coach David Williams, a former national wicketkeeper and trainer Gerard Garcia. Khan said that he is impressed with the progress the players have been making. “I am satisfied with them so far. I have noted a difference in their approach as they are showing a commitment at all levels of the game.

They are trying hard to attain very high standards of fitness we have set,” said Khan yesterday. He said strong emphasis is being placed on the mental aspect of their game as he believes that the tournament would be won or lost on that level. “We are a better team at the shortened version of the game and we have been stressing the need for the players to stay focussed on the 100 overs of play — 50 overs batting and 50 overs fielding,” said Khan yesterday. “On paper they are a top quality line-up and we expect a high intensity performance on the field which will enable them to come out on top doing what is required of them,” said Khan. He said apart from the international quartet, the nation’s hopes will be resting heavily on young Denesh Ramdhin, former West Indies youth captain and wicketkeeper; mercurial batsman Lendl Simmons; fast bowler Imran Jan and Shazam Babwah, a solid middle-order batsman.

“We also have Reyad Emrit who is coming off an impressive season playing club cricket in England. It’s a good team,” said Khan. He said there is also the possibility that Trinidad and Tobago will come up against the Windward Islands in a couple matches before leaving for The Mudland on October 14. Because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan earlier this month, the Windwards have indicated they wished to come over to Trinidad to prepare for the tournament and the request has been favourably received by the TT Cricket Board. “We welcome the opportunity to play some highly competitive matches against the Windwards. It would help us immensely,” said Khan yesterday.