T&T Red Force will open their Cricket West Indies (CWI) Professional Cricket League campaign on Thursday against the Jamaica Scorpions at the Brian Lara Academy Stadium in Tarouba from 10 am.
West Indies left-hander Darren Bravo, 30, will lead Red Force who will be seeking after a drought of over a decade. He replaces leg-spinner Imran Khan, who oversaw Red Force’s Super50 Cup campaign last November but is out with injury.
The last time T&T celebrated as champions at this level was in 2006 under then captain Daren Ganga. It has been so long that when Ganga lifted the trophy, the international price of oil was US$132 a barrel, the foundation of the Brian Lara Cricket Academy had just been started and many players on the current team were in primary school.
The team finished fourth in the 2019 PCL, winning four matches, losing five and ending on 112.4 points. Guyana Jaguars won the title with a whopping 154.2 while the Scorpions finished just below Red Force in fifth, winning just three of their 10 matches.
Red Force coach Mervyn Dillon is hoping to usher in a better era for his team, they having not won a regional title for the last 14 years, and looking to build on last year’s performance.
“We have a good team and it’s all about coming together and playing with a purpose. Last season we won four matches and we must take something from that as we go into the new season,” Dillon said yesterday.
“This team is packed with talent but it could count for nothing if the players don’t go out there and deliver on our plans. They must execute well and success will come their way. We have a new skipper in Darren Bravo and he comes into the role with a wealth of experience having played international cricket for quite a while. The players must rally around him and once we get a good start it will really put us in a good frame moving forward.”
The team’s first four matches are at home before they hit the road in February and return in March to finish their campaign.
Bravo is a veteran of 54 Tests and 110 One-Day Internationals but is working his way back to West Indies colours after being dropped last September due to a poor run of form. He plundered 481 runs in the recent Super50 Cup and his 70 against Ireland last Saturday in Bridgetown proved instrumental in the President’s XI win.
Yesterday, Bravo said his main responsibility will be to inspire the young batting group in what he expects will be a challenging campaign.
“It is a great privilege and honour to captain Trinidad and Tobago national senior team and I think there have been a lot of players who have done well for T&T as captain and I will be looking forward to following their footsteps,” Bravo said.
“It is just a matter of going out there and taking full responsibility for the batting unit, being the most senior batter on the team, and try to help the youngsters as much as possible. I know it will be a difficult one, but I am looking forward to it and I am sure I will enjoy it.”
All-rounder Yannick Ottley will serve as Bravo’s deputy in a squad missing key players like experienced batsman Jason Mohammad and fast bowler Anderson Phillip, who snatched 16 wickets during the Super50 Cup.
Scorpions meanwhile will be led by West Indies test opener John Campbell and he knows his work is cut out for him.
“We have a team of strong, resilient players who are constantly developing. Along with the level of preparation we have gone through, I know our desire to make Jamaica proud will lead us to do great things in this tournament.”
On a personal note, he said: “I have continued to improve my game in the various formats and the opportunities I have received to represent the Windies, especially in 2019, have prepared me to stand up and be counted.”
The pitch at BLCA is expected to give some assistance to the quicker bowlers for the first 40 minutes or so and is then expected to flatten out nicely, allowing for the slower bowlers to come into their own for the remainder of the game.
(Teams)
T&T Red Force: Jeremy Solozano, Kyle Hope, Darren Bravo (Captain), Isaiah Rajah, Joshua Da Silva, Khesan Yannick Ottley (vice-captain), Yannic Carah, Akeal Hosein, Imran Khan, Terrance Hinds, Uthman Muhammed, Odean Smith, Bryan Charles, Keagan Simmons
Jamaica Scorpions: John Campbell, Alwyn Williams, Jermaine Blackwood, Assad Fudadin, Nkrumah Bonner, Rovman Powell, Denis Smith, Aldaine Thomas, Dennis Bulli, Nicholson Gordon, Derval Green, Patrick Harty, Marquino Mindley.
Other matchups:
Hurricanes vs Jaguars – Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua, 2 pm.
Volcanoes vs Pride – Arnos Vale Cricket Ground, St. Vincent, 10 am.