Make your case for selection

TTCB Chief Operations Officer Dudnath Ramkessoon
TTCB Chief Operations Officer Dudnath Ramkessoon

CHIEF operations officer at the TT Cricket Board Dudnath Ramkessoon said it is inevitable that certain players would not be retained on the TT Red Force team, but said strong performances by the omitted players before the Regional Four-Day tournament starts in November will lead to selection.

The franchise draft took place in Antigua on Wednesday, with Red Force retaining Denesh Ramdin, Barbadian Kyle Hope, Tion Webster, Yannic Cariah, Amir Jangoo, Imran Khan, Daniel St Clair, Bryan Charles, Khary Pierre and Jason Mohammed. In the draft, Red Force selected Jamaican Odean Smith, Jeremy Solozano, Marlon Richards, Isaiah Rajah and Joshua Da Silva.

Ewart Nicholson, wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo, Barbadian Roshon Primus and Jamaican Sheldon Cottrell were the players let go by the TT Red Force.

On Wednesday, Nicholson told Newsday he thought he did enough to be retained after playing six Regional Four-Day games last season, scoring 242 runs which included three fifties. He also had a decent season with Powergen, compiling 340 runs in six games with two centuries.

Ramkessoon said yesterday that top performances before the four-day tournament begins can still lead to selection.

“As any selection goes, some people will be left out, you can’t satisfy everyone, but the important thing is that the players are still available.

They may have not gotten a contract, but they are still available to play. Remember, it depends on performance between now and then, not because you have a contract you are guaranteed to play.”

Ramkessoon said he understands the disappointment of players who were left out.

“Anybody who is left out would be disappointed, it is natural human behaviour, the people have feelings.”

On the selection of Da Silva and Smith, Ramkessoon said, “Joshua Da Silva performed well in the domestic tournament and also in the 50-over (Interzone) tournament. He (Smith) is a young promising fast bowler…we need to increase our pool of fast bowlers so we went with a foreign fast bowler to add to what we have locally.”

Ramkessoon is hoping the young contracted players such as Jeremy Solozano, Tion Webster and Amir Jangoo can deliver next season and live up to their potential.

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