Ganga, Ramdin captains for Toyota Classic

The Toyota Classic series today and next Saturday and Sunday will give the local players an opportunity to address the national selectors.

Yesterday chairman of the national selectors Dudnath Ramkessoon confirmed that the Trinidad and Tobago team for the West Indies Championship will be named after the final match of the series next Sunday.

Leading on the teams in today’s 50-overs encounter is Daren Ganga, who captained an under-strength Trinidad and Tobago team to an incredible victory in the tournament staged last year in Guyana and Barbados.

Captaining the other side will be Denesh Ramdin, the new West Indies wicketkeeper.

However missing in the opening match of the Toyota Classic Series will be two members of the team who made crucial contributions in the winning President’s Cup campaign— allrounders Richard Kelly and Sherwin Ganga.

Ramkessoon said yesterday that he understands that both players are currently playing club cricket in England but are expected back home during the week for the final two practice matches. The chief selector also revealed that star batsman Brian Lara is unavailable for selection on the national tream as he has been chosen on the World XI to play Australia in the Super Series which will be staged Down Under at the same time of the President’s Cup.

However he is optimistic that there will be keen competition for places on the one-day team as all the other local Test players are listed to take the field today.

Among them is fast bowler Mervyn Dillon who has his eyes set on a comeback on the regional Test team; hard-hitting batsman Ricardo Powell; allrounder Dwayne Bravo and middle-order batsman Lendl Simmons who recently represented the West Indies "A" team in Sri Lanka.

Ramkessoon said the weather has been very dry over the past couple days which augers well for the match today.

There will be an official opening at 9 am after which the teams will be announced for the opening encounter.