Powerful TT bank on Lara

KINGSTON: Powerful Trinidad and Tobago line up including Brian Lara, against the Stuart Williams-led Leewards Xl at the Sir Frank Worrell Oval, Mona Campus, University of the West Indies today when Zone “A” of the 2003 Red Stripe Bowl limited overs tournament opens here.  The contribution of West Indies captain and master batsman Brian Lara will obviously be a key element in how well the tournament goes for TT but on the eve of the match, captain Daren Ganga was emphasising the team effort.

“It’s all a matter of all of us playing together as a team. That’s our strength this year. The team has jelled quite well,” Ganga said. “We have a lot of young players with experienced players as well. And I think once we play good cricket and keep the cricket intense we are going to come out victorious as well,” Ganga told reporters. Lara and Ganga apart, the Trinidad and Tobago batting boasts the aggressive, left-handed opener Andy Jackson, the impressive young allrounder Dwayne Bravo, Aneil Kanhai, who was a big success for West Indies “B” in the Carib Beer Series earlier this year, Imran Jan and Shazam Babwah. West Indies pacer Mervyn Dillon will lead the attack with seam support from Theodore Modeste, Reyad Emrit and Bravo. Former West Indies wrist spinner Dinanath Ramnarine and the left-arm back-of-the-hand spinner Dave Mohammed head a spin attack that also includes the off-spinner Rodney Sooklal.Leewards captain and former West Indies opening batsman, Stuart Williams said he was not overly concerned with TT’s obvious strength on paper.

“At the end of the day you are playing one day cricket and I think whoever plays better on the day will win. You don’t want to think about which team you’re going to play,” said Williams. Shorn of the players from Leewards champions Antigua and Barbuda, who are hosting Zone “B” of the tournament, the Leewards X1 will depend largely on spinners to contain opposition batsmen. Williams pointed to young West Indies off-spinning allrounder Omari Banks, another young off-spinner, Chaka Hodge and left-arm spinners Frank Monzac, Barsram Singh and Virgil Browne as bowlers who could make a difference. Much attention will focus on middle order batsman Runako Morton, who is back from suspension, and together with Williams, will be expected to lead the Leewards batting. The stroke-playing opener Alex Adams, young middle order batsman Tonito Willett, pace-bowling allrounder Carl Tuckett and wicketkeeper Jason Williams are among those expected to lead the way with quick runs.

Squads:
Trinidad and Tobago — Daren Ganga (captain), Brian Lara, Dwayne Bravo, Andy Jackson, Imran Jan, Shazam Babwah, Aneil Kanhai, Gibran Mohammed, Dave Mohammed, Mervyn Dillon, Reyad Emrit, Theodore Modeste, Dinanath Ramnarine, Rodney Sooklal.
Leewards XI — Stuart Williams (captain), Alex Adams, Carl Tuckett,  Tonito Willett, Runako Morton, Frank Munzac, Virgil Browne, Steve Liburd, Elsroy Powell, Shane Jeffers, Jason Williams, Barsram Singh, Chaka Hodge, Omari Banks.