Officials harbour high hopes for Under-19s

Trinidad and Tobago cricket officials are expecting the national Under-19 cricket team to win the TCL Group West Indies U-19 cricket challenge in Guyana.

Second vice-president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB), Dudnath Ramkeesoon said the team is loaded with talent and is well balanced. “Once the guys play to their full potential they will win the title,” said Ramkeesoon. Trinidad and Tobago last won the crown in 1987. “The team is well-balanced with a lot of talent and potential. Once these guys play hungry I see no reason why they can’t win the title,” he said. The TT Under-19s go into action today against Bermuda at Enmore. Senior team manager Omar Khan who did motivational work with the team said he has great expectations. “The players are very good and will take us the title. We did a lot of mental work with them before departure and once they realise that cricket is played in the head they will win. They need to play intelligent cricket to make the difference,” Khan said.

Patrick Rampersad, an executive member of the TTCB was also very confident of the team emerging champions.  “This team has talent and the ability to do well. They will win in my opinion, they were given all the support they needed including great practice facilities and mental work. They must realise the investment in them and come good,” Rampersad said. The president of national champions, Merryboys added that his two club players, Capil Subran and Lendl Simmons will do this country proud. National coaching director Baldath Mahabir noted that for the past few seasons TT have been finishing in the runners-up spot. ‘Now they can only go one better and gave us the title. The technical team would have grown more capable since then and must have worked out the team’s problems. Now they must turn up at the matches play positive cricket and take the title,” Mahabir said.