TTCB in search of answers

TT Cricket Board chief operations officer Dudnath Ramkessoon
TT Cricket Board chief operations officer Dudnath Ramkessoon

THE TT Cricket Board (TTCB) said it will be looking for answers as to why the Red Force continue to perform poorly in the West Indies Four-Day Championships, saying in-depth analysis needs to take place and it must be done quickly.

After finishing last in the 2017/2018 four-day tournament, the Red Force have lost back-to-back matches to start the 2018/2019 campaign on the wrong foot.

Red Force lost by 76 runs to the Windward Islands Volcanoes in its opening match, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, before falling to a crushing 245-run defeat to Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the same venue.

TTCB Chief Operations Officer (COO) Dudnath Ramkessoon said questions need to be asked after the performance of the team in the last match.

"To be dismissed yesterday (Monday) for under 100, one has to question why the players not really settling down and batting – because it is really the batting that is letting us down a bit," Ramkessoon said.

In pursuit of 342 to win against the Hurricanes on Monday, the Red Force started the day full of hop with all ten wickets intact. But the home side crumbled in the face of Leewards pressure and were bundled out for 96 in one session. The Red Force have only posted more than 250 once in four innings this season. It was their sixth straight defeat dating back to last season.

"We have a few young players but we have players who should be doing better at this stage, and one has to question what is really restricting them and hindering them from performing to the fullest of their ability – whether it is their mental (state), (or) is it self confidence?"

Ramkessoon said discussions are normally held with players, but certainly more needs to be done. "We do sit down with the players one on one, the coach will do that and of course the selectors will do that one on one. But I think we have to do a more in-depth analysis and quickly to see what we could do to turn around the fortunes of this team."

Asked if the TTCB is considering a change at the coaching and management level, Ramkessoon said those positions are appointed by the executive of the board. He believes those posts will be discussed among the executive soon.

The COO is hoping for more effort from Red Force tomorrow as they take on Jamaica Scorpions, at Sabina Park, Jamaica.

"We look forward to what will happens in Jamaica; hopefully we will see more fight and a better end result in Jamaica...But it is reasonable concern and not only (from) the board but from everybody looking on. The team represents TT and we expect better performances from national teams. We are disappointed in terms of the kind of results we have been getting from this team this year and we hope to see an improvement going forward."

Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel will not be available for the Jamaica match because of personal reasons and will be replaced by all-rounder Odean Smith.

The other change in the squad is the return of left-handed batsman Darren Bravo, who comes in for spinner Bryan Charles.

TT SQUAD

Denesh Ramdin (captain), Jeremy Solozano, Joshua Da Silva, Imran Khan, Jason Mohammed, Kyle Hope, Odean Smith, Amir Jangoo, Yannic Cariah, Khary Pierre, Darren Bravo, Daniel St Clair, Anderson Phillip, Manager - Roland Sampath (manager), Kelvin Williams (coach), Jason Pilgrim (physio)

STANDINGS

FRANCHISES*Pts*GP*W*L*BAT*BOWL*PB

Guyana Jaguars*58.4*3*3*0*7*9*6.4

Leewards Hurricanes*43.6*3*2*1*6*8*5.6

Windwards Volcanoes*38.2*3*2*1*1*9*4.2

Barbados Pride*29.8*3*1*2*5*8*4.8

TT Red Force*10.2*2*0*2*3*5*2.2

Jamaica Scorpions*9.8*2*0*2*2*6*1.8

BAT - batting points

BOWL - bowling points

PB - pace bowling points

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"TTCB in search of answers"

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