Ramdin wants no repeat of shameful season

CAPTAIN Denesh Ramdin is eager for the TT Red Force to get off the mark this season and make a good run at the Regional Four-Day title, following what he described as an embarrassing campaign last season when the team finished last.

Red Force will play its second match of the 2018/2019 season against Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba from 10 am today.

TT has started the new campaign, horribly losing by 76 runs to Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Brian Lara Academy in their opening match before Christmas.

Reliable Red Force leg spinner Imran Khan ended the match with 11 wickets, after grabbing seven for 47 in the first innings and 4/79 in the second. Opener Jeremy Solozano was the bright spark in the batting department, scoring his second first-class century (104) in the first innings.

TT has been strengthened for the Hurricanes match, with the West Indies trio of wicket-keeper batsman Ramdin, fast bowler Shannon Gabriel and left-arm spinner Khary Pierre joining the squad.

Ramdin, who was the second highest run scorer in the four-day tournament last season, is still ashamed by how the previous season concluded and is keen to rectify that.

He said, "It is very important that we get a victory in this game so that we will be in contention (for the title). We did not have the best of seasons last year; finishing last is very embarrassing as captain and players."

Ramdin is confident his players can deliver this season. "We have really been pushing in our fitness department to come up trumps and I have no doubt the guys can do well. If you look (at the season), with nine games to go, if we get probably six outright wins there is no doubt we could put ourselves in contention."

Ramdin is delighted with the return of Gabriel to the team which provides an international calibre pacer for opposing batsmen to deal with. "He is a quality bowler. Hopefully, he could come out there and express himself – bowl good areas, pick up some wickets for us, put them under pressure – and whatever chances and opportunities we get (in the field) we will try and take it."

Discussing his new year wish for the team, Ramdin said, "More runs, more wickets, more catches and more victories most important. Losing about five or six games on the trot is not good – it is not helping our cricket. It is very important our guys buckle down, bat long and put some runs on the board so our bowlers will be under less pressure."

The Red Force started the Regional Four-Day 2017/2018 competition positively last year but went on a poor run of form to finish bottom with two wins, five losses and three draws from 10 matches.

TODAY'S FIXTURES

TT Red Force vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, 10 am

Barbados Pride vs Guyana Jaguars, Kensington Oval, 10 am

Jamaica Scorpions vs Windward Islands Volcanoes, Sabina Park, 2 pm

TT SQUAD: Denesh Ramdin (captain), Kyle Hope, Jeremy Solozano, Yannic Cariah, Amir Jangoo, Jason Mohammed, Joshua Da Silva, Khary Pierre, Bryan Charles, Daniel St Clair, Imran Khan, Anderson Phillip, Shannon Gabriel, Roland Sampath (manager), Kelvin Williams (coach).

LEEWARDS SQUAD: Kieran Powell (captain), Montcin Hodge, Keacy Carty, Devon Thomas, Jahmar Hamilton, Terance Warde, Akeem Saunders, Rahkeem Cornwall, Alzarri Joseph, Nelson Bolan, Jeremiah Louis, Damion Jacobs, Sheno Berridge.