Powell, Dillon strengthen TT

WEST Indies players Ricardo Powell and Mervyn Dillon have been included in the Trinidad and Tobago team for tomorrow’s seventh round match in the Carib Beer Series regional cricket tournament against Windward Islands. Powell and Dillon have replaced all-rounder Jonathan Augustus and fast bowler Kyron Lynch in the 13-member squad that went to Guyana for the sixth round match that TT lost. West Indies captain Brian Lara was not considered, since he needs another week to rest his injured arm. Imran Jan and Shazam Babwah, and left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed, who were dropped for the match against Guyana for disciplinary reasons, were not considered for selection.

Roland Sampath, a member of the four-member selection panel, said the trio would not be considered for further selection until TT Cricket Board’s disciplinary committee deals with the matter. After a good start to the season, TT are now one from last in the six-team standings, and will need to record outright wins in the remaining matches to finish in the top two and qualify for the Final Challenge. At the conclusion of the league, the two highest ranked teams shall contest the Final Challenge. The team which placed first in the league will play at home against the team placed second. The second placed team can only win the Carib Beer Challenge Trophy by achieving an outright win in the Final.

Any other result except an outright win would give the first-placed team being awarded the Carib Beer Challenge Trophy. Yesterday coach David Williams blamed inexperience for the team’s third straight defeat against Guyana on Monday in Albion. Williams, a former West Indies wicketkeeper said when Guyana won the toss and batted, their first innings score of 450 proved the foundation for the emphatic victory. However, he is confident that the team can win their remaining matches in the tournament and qualify for the Final Challenge. “We are down but not out. Hopefully we can learn from the mistakes we made in the matches we lost and bounce right back,” Williams told i95.5FM Radio yesterday.

TT Squad:
Daren Ganga (captain), Lendl Simmons, Imran Khan, Ricardo Powell, Dwayne Bravo, Gregory Mahabir, Denesh Ramdin, Richard Kelly, Rayad Emrit, Amit Jaggernauth, Rishi Bachan, Mervyn Dillon and Samuel Badree. (CMC)