TT U-17 cricketers open against Guyana

MANAGER of the TT Under-17 team Rayad Emrit said his unit is equipped with a balanced bowling attack, including quality fast bowlers, which could be crucial for the West Indies Future Stars Cricket 50-over Under-17 tournament that starts in Trinidad at 9.30 am, today.

In round one, TT will play Guyana at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Couva; defending champions Barbados will play Windward Islands at Gilbert Park in Couva; and Leeward Islands will battle Jamaica at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba. The tournament will be played in a round robin format.

TT finished agonisingly short of winning the 2018 Under-17 50-over title, as Barbados captured the crown by .1 of a point.

Barbados ended the tournament with 20.6 points and TT finished second with 20.5 points. The champs earned more fast bowling points than TT – 16 fast bowling wickets compared to TT’s 15. Each wicket taken by a fast bowler earns his team .1 of a point.

Emrit, who has taken 175 first class wickets as a fast bowler, likes TT's chances. "We have a very good team. We have some good spinners as well as fast bowlers. We have three really good fast bowlers – guys who I think as long as they deliver what they capable of doing, we can get (fast bowling points). There are points for fast bowlers and I am here to share my knowledge as well, and as long as they take it they are in good stead."

Matthew Gittens, Shiva Sankar and Sion Hackett will try to get valuable fast bowling points for TT.

Emrit, who is enjoying his new job as manager, said the players are anxious for the tournament to begin.

"It's a new role. I am very excited to be part of this bunch of guys. It's Under-17, a new age group for me, and I am excited to be working alongside them. There is a bunch of talent here and the guys are really eager to start the tournament. There is a lot of rain in the air and a lot of talk about shortened games but our main focus is to get well prepared for the tournament and as prepared as we can be, so whenever we step on the field we give 150 per cent."

Discussing the importance of a winning start Emrit said, "It is a very short tournament, so we need to start well. If we could get off on the right foot against Guyana tomorrow (today), it is going to a lot of easier coming down to the back end, so we need to start well. It's a week-long tournament (with) five games in eight days."

TT SQUAD: Tariq Mohammed (captain), Darren Samlal, Shiva Sankar, Anderson Mahase, Rajeev Ramnath, Matthew Gittens, Jeremiah Cruickshank, Kyle Roopchand, Sion Hackett, Vasant Singh, Andrew Rambaran, Chadeon Raymond, Isaiah Gomez, Aaron Bankay, Gregory Davis (coach), Rayad Emrit (manager).

FIXTURES:

Today

Leeward Islands vs Jamaica, Brian Lara Cricket Academy

TT vs Guyana, National Cricket Centre

Windward Islands vs Barbados, Gilbert Park

Sunday

Barbados vs Guyana, Brian Lara Cricket Academy

Jamaica vs Windward Islands, National Cricket Centre

TT vs Leeward Islands, Gilbert Park

Tuesday

Jamaica vs TT, Brian Lara Cricket Academy

Barbados vs Leeward Islands, NCC

Guyana vs Windward Islands, Gilbert Park

Thursday

Windward Islands vs Leeward Islands, Brian Lara Cricket Academy

TT vs Barbados, NCC

Jamaica vs Guyana, Gilbert Park

Saturday

Windward Islands vs TT, Brian Lara Cricket Academy

Leeward Islands vs Guyana, NCC

Barbados v Jamaica, Gilbert Park