Team attitude will bring TT success

TRINIDAD and Tobago cricket team manager Omar Khan said yesterday that the attitude of his young team led by captain Daren Ganga will play a significant part in their expected success at the regional one-day championships in Guyana. The team arrived in Georgetown just before noon yesterday and the players have settled in at the Grand Coastal Inn, ten minutes driving time from the capital city in East Coast Demarara. Speaking from the hotel in a telephone interview yesterday, Khan said he was impressed with the approach the cricketers have been taking towards national duty after several of the key players were ruled out because of injury. “These guys are eager and willing to work hard at their game. It’s an attitude that will carry them far on and off the field. I am very impressed and we intend to do well.”

He said all the players are in a positive frame of mind and plan to take one match at a time and play to win despite their relative inexperience at regional first-class level. Missing from the TT team are West Indies captain and master batsman Brian Lara, veteran fast bowler Mervyn Dillon, exciting new Test prospect Dwayne Bravo, and middle-order batsman Lendl Simmons through injury. Khan said a team meeting was planned for last night where the players will discuss in depth their game plan and strategies. Yesterday the players were engaged in a two-hour training session at the LBI Ground under coach David Williams and trainer Gerard Garcia. Another session is planned for this morning at the Gandhi Youth Organisation Ground in Georgetown said Khan yesterday. With the exception of the Leeward Islands, the other team participating in the regional championships have arrived in Guyana in the midst of very hot and dry weather. Guyana are the defending champions and will be led by West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Trinidad and Tobago open their campaign against Barbados tomorrow at Enmore.