Wounded TT face Windwards

A SEVERELY understrength Trinidad and Tobago cricket team comes up against the Windward Islands today in the first of two one-day matches planned to prepare for the upcoming regional limited overs tournament in Guyana. However the possibility of Trinidad and Tobago mounting a serious challenge in the First-Class competition in a week has been seriously compromised by the seasonal rainy weather and a spate of injuries which have ruled out several star players. Yesterday chairman of the national selectors Dudnath Ramkeesoon remained optimistic that play will be possible today even after the first match scheduled for Friday was called off when heavy rains lashed the National Cricket Centre Ground at Balmain. The other warm-up fixture is tentatively set for tomorrow but according to Ramkeesoon a final decision will be made today depending on the weather.

He revealed that middle-order batsman and part-time wicketkeeper Lendl Simmons has been discharged from hospital after being kept overnight following a car accident on Thursday night in Arima. However Simmons has been ruled out of the regional tournament starting on Saturday further depleting the already hard-hit national team. Of the four TT players on the victorious West Indies team at the recent Champions Trophy tournament in England, only Jamaican Ricardo Powell has made himself available after the others were advised by doctors to rest. West Indies captain and master batsman Brian Lara has a neck injury; veteran fast bowler Mervyn Dillon is nursing a side and shoulder strain; while allrounder Dwayne Bravo joined the walking wounded when he tore a hamstring muscle on Thursday playing in a charity match in Barbados. Last weekend solid middle-order batsman Shazam Babwah hobbled off the field in a practice match at Balmain with a groin strain and is fighting to be fit for the regional championships.

The spate of injuries has thrust into the spotlight several young promising players who are now being called to take up the mantle of responsibility and wear the national colours proudly in The Mudland against their more experienced counterparts. Today’s match against the Windwards will present an ideal opportunity for the yougsters under West Indies opening batsman Daren Ganga to catch the eye of the national selectors before the squad for Guyana is announced this evening. The Trinidad and Tobago team practised yesterday with Ganga saying it was unfortunate that the team is being deprived of match competition but is satisfied that the practice drills are sufficient to get the players battle-ready. “I think the Windward Islands cricketers are more desperate to play. But you know it is always useful to get as much cricket on the field as possible especially so near a big competition,” said Ganga yesterday.

Since July the national squad has been involved in a series of camps under coach David Williams, a former Trinidad and Tobago wicketkeeper and trainer Gerard Garcia who have exposed them to the stringent fitness regimen needed to bring them up to the standard expected of First Class cricketers. However at least nine of 11 practice matches have been ruined by rain but Ganga was not too worried yesterday by the disruption caused by the weather. “We have been involved in match simulation exercises and the players would have benefitted from this,” said Ganga. Among the young players looking to make an impression are Ganga’s younger brother Sherwin, wicketkeeper batsman Dinesh Ramdin, Reyaad Emrit, Richard Kelly, Jonathan Augustus, Samuel Badree, Theodore Modeste, Gregory Mahabir, Rodney Sooklal and Atiba Alert.