Coach of the T&T Red Force team Kelvin Williams is hoping for a new start for his team which will play its first game of 2019 against the Leewards Hurricanes in Cricket West Indies (CWI) Four-day championship at Brian Lara Cricket Academy from 10 am.
Red Force played its opening match of the tournament in December and lost to the Windwards Volcanoes at the same venue. It has not been a very happy venue for the Red Force which has lost all four of its First Class matches contested in Tarouba, San Fernando, to date.
Williams is hoping that after the Christmas break, the team will come back with a mindset of looking to change its fortunes.
"We have not had a good run at the Lara Academy but I have looked at the players coming back after their break and they look to be eager and carrying the right mindset to play much better."
The Leewards opened their campaign with a win over Barbados but fell to leaders and triple defending champions Guyana Jaguars. Whilst the Red Force is last in the standings on 4.4 points, the Hurricanes are third with 22.2 points. Guyana leads with 37 points, followed by the Barbados Pride on 22.6.
Williams said what he wants from his men is an improved batting application: "We have struggled in the batting department because the guys have not put their heads down and applied themselves. We have spoken to them time and time again and now it is for them to go out there and apply themselves to the task at hand. With Denesh Ramdin and Shannon Gabriel back, that is a lot of experience combined, so we are hoping for a much better display from our team, as they look to make a new start in a new year. They are rejuvenated and ready to go."
Jeremy Solozano has been the leading batsman for the Red Force with 114 runs, including a century. Apart from him, no one has scored over 100 runs. The two wicketkeepers on the team Joshua Da Silva and Amir Jangoo have been the only others showing some promise. Da Silva has 65 runs and Jangoo 54 from the first game. However, with Ramdin coming back to play, one of them is sure to make way this morning.
The Red Force bowling has been good with stand-in skipper in the last game Imran Khan snaring 11 in the first match. Fellow spinner Bryan Charles was also good and took six wickets in that game.
West Indies opener Kieran Powell has returned to lead Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the contest.
The left-hander missed the Hurricanes’ first two matches through West Indies duty in Bangladesh, first for the Test series and then for the One-Day International series.
In his absence, Hurricanes were led by former West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Devon Thomas, with mixed results.
For the Leewards, Keacy Carty has been their top batsman with 184 runs, including a knock of 114 runs. As a matter of fact, Carty is the leading run scorer in the tournament so far. He has held the Leewards together, as none of the others has topped 100 runs in total so far.
On the bowling front, West Indies quick Alzari Joseph leads with eight wickets, followed by Terrance Warde. Williams said the pitch is expected to play the same as in the last match and the toss will be crucial. Red Force has never won a toss in their four outings at the venue.
TEAMS
RED FORCE: Denesh Ramdin (Capt), Kyle Hope, Jeremy Solozano, Yannick Cariah, Amir Jangoo, Jason Mohammed, Joshua Da Silva, Khary Pierre, Brian Charles, Daniel St.Clair, Imran Khan, Anderson Phillip and Shannon Gabriel. Manager R. Sampath, Coach: K. Williams, Physio: J. Pilgrim.
LEEWARDS HURRICANES: Kieran Powell (captain), Montcin Hodge, Keacy Carty, Devon Thomas, Jahmar Hamilton, Terance Warde, Akeem Saunders, Rahkeem Cornwall, Alzarri Joseph, Nelson Bolan, Jeremiah Louis, Damion Jacobs, Sheno Berridge.
POINTS STANDINGS
Team*P*W*L*D*PTS
Guyana Jaguars*2*2*0*1*37
Barbados Pride*2*1*1*0*22.6
Leewards Hurricanes*2*1*1*0*22.2
Windwards Volcanoes*2*1*1*0*21.4
Jamaica Scorpions*1*0*1*0*5
T&T Red Force*1*0*1*0*4.4