Cricket selectors keep fingers crossed

Dudnath Ramkessoon, the first vice president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) said yesterday he was optimistic that they would rebound after a dismal KFC Cup tournament.

He said they did not perform well because they were not focused and thinks the team consists of a bunch of talented cricketers who can play well and can turn things around in the four-day competition.

Trinidad and Tobago will play their first five matches away due to the unpredictable weather conditions that are being experienced here in Trinidad and Tobago.

The inclement weather conditions have also hampered the team’s trial matches. Not ball was bowled in a planned three-day match over the weekend at Monroe Road, Cunupia. First the Daren Ganga-led team will face champions Guyana at the Bourda Oval in Georgetown from November 11-14 and then they will come up against Barbados from November 18-21.

Next Trinidad and Tobago will meet the Leeward Islands from November 25-28, before they move on to play the Windward Islands from December 2-5.

Their last away match will be against the Jamaicans in Kingston from December 9-12 at Sabina Park.

Ramkessoon said it is important for the team to collect points in their away matches.

He said the selectors will keep their fingers crossed hoping for sunny weather this weekend which will conclude the preparation stage ahead of the selection of the national team for the carib Beer Series.

Ramkessoon pointed out that should rain intervene this weekend, the the team will be picked based on past and present performances as well as players’ attitudes, punctuality and discipline, among other factors.

The former West Indies Youth captain has answered critics of the cricket board who were blamed for the team’s poor performance in the KFC Cup.

He said the team underwent one of the better preparation processes in the past years and also were involved in the Toyota Classic and the Angostura Limited Overs Classic which were used as trials.

Ramkessoon said criticism is coming from those who wish to challenge the cricket board for reasons that could not be justified.

He said the players who took part in the KFC Cup were the best available with double- world record holder Brian Lara missing because he playing for the World XI in the Super Series against Australia in Australia.

Also absent was leg-spinner Dave Mohammed who was injured.

Among the players on the team were Ganga, Mervyn Dillion, Ricardo Powell, Denesh Ramdin and the many others with Test and One-Day International experience.

But he pointed out that the problem stemmed from the players’ lack of commitment to the task ahead of them.

Ramkessoon is tipped to emerge the new president of the cricket board at the annual general meeting on Saturday at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.