England-based Kwandwane Browne is expected to feature for T&T senior's men's hockey team when they meet world 16th ranked Canada in their final Pool B match of the FIH World Hockey League Men's Round Two qualifiers.
The match comes off from 12.30 pm at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Centre, San Diego, California, today and will be followed by USA against Russia and the two remaining Pool A matches, Ireland versus Italy (5pm), and Chile against Austria (7.15 pm).
The 37-year-old Browne missed T&T's first two matches, losses against Russia (1-6) and USA (1-7) due to club commitments with Canterbury in the Pension's Men's England Hockey League Premier Division on the weekend, but joined the Glen "Fido" Francis-coached T&T squad yesterday for training ahead of today's match.
In addition to being the oldest player in the tournament, Browne, the player/coach at his club is also the most capped, having doned the national jersey, a record 298 times and will be a big boost to the Solomon Eccles captained team which was deprived of eight other first teams regulars inclusive of captain Darren Cowie, Kiel Murray, vice-captain Dwain Quan Chan, Aidan De Gannes and England-based Dillet Gilkes because of injury or work commitments.
The Canadians, meanwhile at 14th in the FIH world rankings, are the top ranked team in the tournament, and led by veterans Dave Jameson (206 caps), Scott Tupper (196 caps), Mark Pearson (163 Caps), and youngster Devohn Noronha Teixeira, fresh from impressive performances at the Indoor World Cup in Leipzig hammered USA 5-2 in its opener, but fell to unbeaten Russia, 1-2.
The Russians lead the table with maximum six points while USA and Canada, both have three points, with T&T, winners of its first round qualifiers in Jamaica last October and silver medal winners at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Mexico, a month later, bottom of the table without a point.
In Pool A, Ireland leads with six points followed by Austria and Italy, both with three points, and Chile, without a point.
At the end of round-robin play, the teams will play cross-over quarterfinals on Thursday, followed by semifinals on Saturday, and final day playoffs and finals on Sunday, from which the top three teams will earn a place in the Hockey World League semi-finals (Round 3), where coveted berths at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games are up for grabs.