Nicholson promises to continue working hard

In this file photo, TT’s Ewart Nicholson pulls a delivery to the boundary against Barbados Pride in a regional four-day round one match at  Kensington Oval, Barbados.
In this file photo, TT’s Ewart Nicholson pulls a delivery to the boundary against Barbados Pride in a regional four-day round one match at Kensington Oval, Barbados.

EWART NICHOLSON is one of four players who was not retained by the TT Red Force for the 2018-2019 Professional Cricket League (PCL) season. The other players who were let go by the Red Force franchise outfit were wicketkeeper Stephen Katwaroo, Barbados-born all-rounder Roshon Primus and ex-West Indies left-arm fast bowler, Jamaica-born Sheldon Cottrell.

Captain Denesh Ramdin, former Red Force skippers Jason Mohammed and Kyle Hope, as well as veteran leg-spinner Imran Khan were retained, along with Tion Webster, Yannic Cariah, Amir Jangoo, Daniel St Clair, Bryan Charles and Khary Pierre.

Picked in the draft by the TT Red Force selection committee were ex-Red Force captain Marlon Richards, left-handed batsmen Jeremy Solozano and Isaiah Rajah, teenaged Queen’s Park wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua Da Silva and Jamaican pacer Odean Smith, who was part of the WI T20 team who toured Pakistan in early April.

The franchise draft for the 2018-2019 season took place yesterday morning at the Cricket West Indies (CWI) headquarters in St John’s, Antigua, under the guidance of auditing firm KPMG.

The TT Red Force franchise outfit finished last in the six-team 2017-2018 Regional Four Day season. The Red Force also failed to advance to the knockout stages of the Super50 tournament.

During a telephone interview yesterday, Nicholson said, “I’ll just go back to the drawing board and keep working hard, and keep scoring runs. Hopefully, if I get another chance, I’ll do well again.”

The 24-year-old right-handed batsman admitted, “(I) was in training and, when I heard the news that I didn’t get picked, I was a bit sad. But that’s beyond my control.”

Did he think he did enough during the 2017-2018 season to be either retained by the Red Force or gain selection by another franchise, or will this snub serve to inspire him? According to Nicholson, “I played six games this season, I have 242 runs and I have scored three fifties. I scored two fifties (against Barbados at Kensington Oval in October) and the next game I got dropped. I was out the squad for four games straight.

“Then I (got) picked again, I made a 50 (away to Jamaica at Sabina Park in December) and then I got dropped again. I wasn’t getting (any) rhythm because I didn’t know how to stay focused. I was hard for me because I was in-and-out the set-up. I think I did well (enough) to stay on the team.”

Squads –

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force: Kyle Hope (overseas), Tion Webster, Yannic Cariah, Amir Jangoo, Denesh Ramdin, Imran Khan, Daniel St Clair, Bryan Charles, Khary Pierre, Jason Mohammed; Draft Picks – Odean Smith (overseas), Jeremy Solozano, Marlon Richards, Isaiah Rajah, Joshua Da Silva.

Guyana Jaguars: Veerasammy Permaul, Leon Johnson, Vishual Singh, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Gudakesh Motie, Tagenrine Chanderpaul, Keon Joseph, Anthony Bramble. Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd; Draft picks – Ramaal Lewis (overseas), Christopher Barnwell, Tevin Imlach, Ashaya Persaud, Javier Spencer (overseas).

Barbados Pride: Anthony Alleyne, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Dominic Drakes, Justin Greaves, Keon Harding, Chemar Holder, Shayne Moseley, Shamar Springer, Haydn Walsh Jr (overseas); Draft picks – Marquino Mindley (overseas), Kevin Stoute, Aaron Jones, Tevyn Walcott, Mario Rampersaud.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes: Rahkeem Cornwall, Montcin Hodge, Jahmar Hamilton, Keacy Carty, Jeremiah Louis, Devon Thomas, Terrance Warde, Sheeno Berridge, Akeem Saunders, Ross Powell; Draft Picks – Damion Jacobs (overseas), Sheldon Cottrell (overseas), Orlando Peters, Nelson Bolan, Jason Peters.

Jamaica Scorpions: Nikita Miller, Assad Fudadin (overseas), Derval Green, Chadwick Walton, John Campbell, Brandon King, Paul Palmer Jr, Aldaine Thomas, Andre McCarthy, Fabian Allen; Draft Picks – Oshane Thomas, Reynard Leveridge, Kenroy Williams (overseas), Denis Bulli, Steven Taylor.

Windward Islands Volcanoes: Devon Smith, Shane Shillingford, Kyle Mayers (overseas), Obed McCoy, Tyron Theophile, Roland Cato, Audy Alexander, Shermon Lewis, Delorn Johnson, Alick Athanaze; Draft Picks – Kirk Edwards (overseas), Ray Jordon, Tarryck Gabriel, Denis Smith, Josh Thomas.

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