Mystery spinner sets eyes on National team

Mystery spinner Amit Jaggernauth who returned from Grenada after attending the Shell Cricket Academy 14 days ago is now setting his sights on a place on the senior Trinidad and Tobago Cricket team for the upcoming Red Stripe Bowl in Jamaica. When Sunday Newsday visited Jaggernauth at his Lennard Street, Carapichaima home four years ago, his father was busy preparing his clothes for his trip to Guyana with the national Under-15 team. Four years on his dad was not at home but young Jaggernauth, now 19 years, old was bowling at his home ‘nets’ preparing to make a bid for the national senior team that will play in the Red Stripe Bowl. Jaggernauth who bowls leg-breaks with an off-break action, first appeared on the scene a few seasons ago and his maiden story on Sunday Newsday touched the hearts of many. The youngster had dedicated his cricket career to his deceased mom who died just before he entered the national youth team.

Since then he has risen very quickly and to emphasise the point, the pint-sized former Presentation College student was chosen to play for the West Indies B team during this year’s Carib Beer Regional championships. “At the moment I am really focussed and preparing for the Red Stripe Bowl trials which are expected to get underway anytime. I have been visiting the National Cricket Centre for three-hour practice sessions on a daily basis with my brother Avinash and friend Sanjeev Maharaj.” “I want to get on the senior Trinidad and Tobago cricket team for the Red Stripe Bowl. At the moment my bowling is coming along and I am happy that I am not peaking too soon. I want to be at top form in the trials to impress the national selectors, in order to get into the team. “This is my immediate goal, one I hope to achieve on my road to one day reaching the heights of playing international cricket.” Jaggernauth works at a local radio station as a news reporter and mixes this with his rigourous practice with the hope of reaching the top as he promised his mom.