Parkites all-rounders Hosein, Cariah looking at consistency

TT RED Force and Queen’s Park all-rounders Akeal Hosein and Yannic Cariah are looking at consistent returns during the 2019-2020 regional first-class season.

The Red Force duo was involved in a team practice session on Thursday, at the National Cricket Centre, Couva.

The Red Force team are preparing for the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup, which will take place both in Trinidad and St Kitts, from November 6 to December 1.

Hosein last played on the regional circuit for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes during the 2017-2018 season. He had an impressive 2019 domestic season, with 532 runs and 57 wickets, which saw him drafted by the Red Force for the 2019-2020 edition.

Asked what he is looking forward to this season, the 26-year-old Hosein replied, “Hopefully just to be selected, go out there and give 100 per cent for my team. Hopefully I can get some personal performances and performances that would do my team justice and take us over the line.”

He hopes that this impending season can see him establish his name as one of the top all-rounders in TT, and the region by extension.

“I had a good season with Queen’s Park,” Hosein said. “I was named Senior Cricketer of the Year. So I’m just hoping to bank on that and just grab all opportunities possible. You can only do so much with the amount of opportunities (that) you get. For me, I’m just looking to take every opportunity possible and move on from there.”

Hosein played three matches for the Trinbago Knight Riders during the recent Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

“As soon as CPL was over, we came straight back (to training),” said Hosein. “It’s a lot of fun, good vibe and energy in the camp.”

Reflecting on his CPL experience, he said, “CPL was great actually. Even though I didn’t play much cricket, I learnt a lot from the senior guys, different strategies (etcetera). Even though I was on the bench looking on, I was just taking all information that I could possibly take and hope I can better my game.”

Cariah was not involved in the CPL, but he played the third unofficial “Test” match between the West Indies A and India A at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba in August.

“I got called up late, for one game, but the experience was really nice,” Cariah noted. “I enjoyed it. I didn’t play cricket in a while and I went out and played that game. I had fun.”

Concerning his preparations for the 2019-2020 season, Cariah said, “After the club cricket (season), I was doing some off-season work on all aspects of my game, working on my fitness, trying to bowl some more, and start back scoring runs consistently. Everything has been going good so far.”

Cariah has been hardly called upon to bowl his leg-breaks in recent times. He pointed out, “I believe in myself. I know what I can do. I’m a genuine all-rounder. Anytime the skipper call on me to bowl, I deliver. The cricketing world is changing now, you have to bat, bowl and field.”

He is hoping to get his name back on the West Indies selectors’ minds during this Super50 tournament. “Once my fitness is good, I can concentrate longer, score more runs, bowl more overs, move about better in the field, and recover better,” he said.

What are Cariah’s goals for the forthcoming season? He replied, “My goals (are) simple. Once I get the opportunity to bat, score some big hundreds and once I get the opportunity to bowl, take some wickets and contribute to the team getting victories. So that’s what I’ll concentrate on.”