By KEVIN SUNICH Friday, August 3 2012

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WEST INDIES pacer, Tino Best, centre, celebrates with his teammates after taking awicket on the first day of the second Test versus New Zealand at Sab...

Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) second vice-president, Lalman Kowlessar, is pessimistic that Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine will represent this country at the Champions League in South Africa in October.

The national youth selector said he does not see it being possible at this time, despite Sports Minister Anil Roberts indicating that he would do all in his power to make it happen.

“I don’t think that the government would be able to put up all that money. It’s just too much. While we would all love to see these boys suit up for TT, it is a mountainous task to achieve this and being realistic I don’t think they will play for TT and that’s a done deal, I hope I am wrong”, said Kowlessar.

The three TT players have been silent on their willingness to represent this country instead of their Indian Premier League (IPL) teams,

Kowlessar said that from a player standpoint it is a very ticklish decision.

“We have to qualify to take part in the final, now if we don’t qualify what is going to happen to those boys if they decide to play for TT. It would mean no Champions League for them. What will happen next year and the year after. So it is not just about the present rather their future must be taken into consideration”, said the youth selector.

Minister Roberts who is at the London Olympics had revealed that the negotiations between the Ministry and the players agents are ongoing. He said while they have not reached the stage of signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoE) he was confident that the players will represent the twin island at the tournament.

Last year, both Pollard and Bravo represented their Indian Premier League teams and despite the presence of Narine, TT failed to make the knockout stage.

Meanwhile the TTCB has remained tight lipped on the matter, saying the ball is out of their hands.