Khan backs Red Force to bounce back

Former West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago cricket manager Omar Khan believes the TT Red Force can bounce back against the Leeward Islands in round five of the Digicel Regional Four-Day tournament which bowls off at 10 am today at Warner Park, St Kitts. Khan, however, is calling on the bowlers to adjust quickly to match conditions and make an impact.

The Red Force were crushed by Guyana Jaguars by an innings and 217 runs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba in the last round. Guyana posted 484 for eight declared batting first, before TT were bundled out for 120 in the first innings and 147 in the second.

The Red Force, fourth in the standings, will get the opportunity to redeem themselves as the national selectors have named the same squad from the last round.

Khan says the team is capable of a good performance in this round. “I think the team could bounce back, they just got to believe in themselves,” he said. “They got to be able to understand that there will be times when you would not get assistance from the wickets and as a professional cricketer you got to be there determined to do well.” The former West Indies manager believes it has been an average performance by the Red Force this season – especially from the bowlers.

“I think the bowling has not been as penetrative as was expected, except for one game when they played against the Windward Islands at the Queen’s Park Oval. In international and at regional level, you got to make adjustments when the pitches are not giving you the assistance that you expected.”

RED FORCE SQUAD: Denesh Ramdin (captain), Kyle Hope, Amir Jangoo, Yannic Cariah, Jason Mohammed, Tion Webster, Roshon Primus, Imran Khan, Bryan Charles, Khary Pierre, Sheldon Cottrell, Jeremy Solozano, Daniel St Clair, Kelvin Williams (coach), Roland Sampath (manager), Oba Gulston (physiotherapist)

FIXTURES

TT Red Force vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Warner Park, St Kitts

Barbados Pride vs Guyana Jaguars, Providence, Guyana

Jamaica Scorpions vs Windward Islands Volcanoes, Sabina Park, Jamaica