The T&T Red Force team led by all-rounder Kieron Pollard will open its campaign on Thursday against Jamaica Scorpions in the CG Insurance Super50 Cup match in St John's, Antigua at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, this morning from 9:30 am.
The T&T team comprising Darren Bravo (Vice-Captain), experience spin bowlers Imran Khan and Khary Pierre, pacers Anderson Phillip and Jayden Seales and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin arrived in Antigua since the start of February with head coach David Furlonge and manager Sebastian Edwards.
However, over the weekend T&T which won the title for a record 12 times, but has come up empty-handed since 2016, saw the arrivals of its overseas-based West Indies and T10 players like Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Rampaul, Lendl Simmons and skipper Pollard join the team.
Pollard, 33, told Cricket West Indies media that Red Force has the potential to go all the way.
"I believe we have a very good team in terms of youth and experience and we can go that step further and make it to the finals. In the last few years, we missed out, reaching the semi-finals and being beaten, once by CCC and once by Leewards. Hopefully, we have all the energy and all the gas in the tank and go all the way," Pollard said.
He added, "This promises to be a really good tournament and I know players will be aiming to impress and improve their careers."
The Red Force made it to the semi-finals of the 2019 tournament, losing out to the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
The team will be guided by new head coach Furlonge, whom Pollard has expressed confidence in. Pollard said Furlonge has established himself over the years at champion club Queen’s Park.
Edwards is the team's new manager and as the president of the Merry Boys Cricket Club, he also brings excellent credentials to his new portfolio.
West Indies ODI captain, Pollard, who is returning to the tournament after a one-year absence said, "It is very good that cricket is coming back to the Caribbean ... players will get the opportunity to showcase their skills and entertain our fans. It has been a trying 2020 for cricketers and the whole Caribbean, so it is really good that we have the CG Insurance Super50 Cup being played at this time and hopefully, it can unearth some new talent.”
Meanwhile, former West Indies veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, who is with the team as its mentor, has come out and praised Pooran, who just helped Northern Warriors to their second Abu Dhabi T10 title on Saturday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, and who the Red Force will be looking to for solid performances from said: "I'm very proud of him (Pooran), proud of his leadership, proud of the way he cares about himself, the way he dominated the tournament with the bat and then to walk away as the champion captain. I'm very happy for him."
The first West Indies regional tournament of 2021 bowled off on Sunday. The lingering impact of Covid-19 means a scaled-down version of the event from ten to six teams.
The tournament will come to a climax when a new champion is expected to be crowned on February 27, after the 2019-20 champions, West Indies Emerging Players, will not defending their trophy due to COVID-19 pandemic constraints.
Each team will play each other on a round-robin basis with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals and the opportunity to reach the grand final. Matches will be played at Antigua’s two cricket venues - the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) and the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (SVRS). There will be 13 matches at CCG including the semi-finals and final, and six matches at SVRS.
RED FORCE TEAM
Kieron Pollard (Captain), Darren Bravo (Vice-Captain), Akeal Hosein, Imran Khan, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Kjorn Ottley, Khary Pierre, Nicholas Pooran, Anderson Phillip, Dinesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Jayden Seales, Lendl Simmons; David Furlonge (Head Coach)
JAMAICA SCORPIONS TEAM
Rovman Powell (Captain), Derval Green (Vice-Captain), Fabian Allen, Dennis Bulli, Sheldon Cottrell, Javel Glenn, Brandon King, Andre McCarthy, Jamie Merchant, Romaine Morris, Paul Palmer, Jeavor Royal, Odean Smith, Aldaine Thomas, Oshane Thomas; Andre Coley (Head Coach).
RED FORCE TOURNAMENT FIXTURES
Feb 11: Jamaica Scorpions v Trinidad & Tobago Red Force – Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium
Feb 13: Windward Islands Volcanoes v Trinidad & Tobago Red Force – Coolidge Cricket Ground
Feb 15: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v Barbados Pride – Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium
Feb 17: Leeward Islands Hurricanes v Trinidad & Tobago Red Force – Coolidge Cricket Ground
Feb 20: Guyana Jaguars v Trinidad & Tobago Red Force – Coolidge Cricket Ground
FINAL FOUR
Feb 24: SEMI-FINAL 1 – Coolidge Cricket Ground
Feb 25: SEMI-FINAL 2 – Coolidge Cricket Ground