Narine returns for Tallawahs clash

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) will welcome the return of Sunil Narine for their match against the Jamaica Tallawahs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, at 10 am, on Tuesday.

TKR are first on the Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 standings with a flawless record of six wins from as many matches. Tallawahs are currently in fourth place with three wins and three losses. The Jamaica franchise will be eyeing a strong run to end the preliminary phase and secure a semi-final spot.

Narine played the first three matches for TKR, but sat out the next three matches because of an injury.

He has showed his value for TKR. The left-handed opener has cracked 111 runs which has included two fifties and with the ball he snatched four wickets with his off-spin at an economy rate of 4.58.

Narine is expected to be in the starting XI on Tuesday.

TKR head coach Brendon McCullum said, “We are expecting Sunil to play tomorrow…we saw what good form he was in at the start of the tournament with both bat and ball. He is a magical player, we call him the King for obvious reasons and sitting out those couple of games through quite a bizarre injury really (was unfortunate), so he is now feeling good. We have been able to rectify that problem and we expect him to take the field tomorrow and I am sure he has quite a big part to play in the games to come.”

McCullum said fast bowler Ali Khan, who walked off the field with a back injury against the Guyana Amazon Warriors on Thursday, is expected to return by the weekend for the end of the preliminary phase.

TKR, champions in 2018, fell one match short of the final in 2019 after losing in qualifier two.

The TKR coach said his players are eager to make amends for last year’s disappointment.

McCullum also said the covid19 pandemic allowed the players to regain their focus and fitness and he has seen the hunger in his players. “What I have noticed as soon as I arrived here was that the guys were desperate to try and regain the title that we lost last year. I think because of the long period of time home I think everyone got a lot of time to think and recalibrate. Some older bodies may have had time to just refresh as well and get themselves in some top quality shape.”

Two players leading the way for the Tallawahs are spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman and fast bowler Fidel Edwards. Rahman is the top wicket-taker in the competition with 13 wickets to his name.

Tallawahs coach Floyd Reifer said, “Mujeeb is brilliant, this man is a special talent. (He is) a guy that could take the ball both ways. He has about four or five different balls in his arm….he is a young, exciting player (and) he is happy to be here and he is enjoying his time with the Tallawahs.”

Fast bowler Fidel Edwards, 38, is also showing his class in the tournament.

On the performance of the former West Indies cricketer, Reifer said, “Fidel has been very good.

Fidel is a true professional…he is a very fit man. Even during covid19 and leading up to this tournament Fidel was training really hard.”

Edwards has been playing with Hampshire in England for the past four years and Reifer believes that time abroad has improved his skill level.

Reifer also commended the tournament’s highest run-scorer (207 runs), Glenn Phillips, on his effort this season, saying he is an “improved cricketer.”

Andre Russell has missed several matches because of injury, but Reifer said he may return to the line up for the TKR clash.

“Both of his knees are in good condition it is just a slight hamstring that he had…he had a scan and everything is fine, so he should be on the park again either tomorrow (Tuesday) or the next game.”

In the second match at Brian Lara on Tuesday, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents will play at 5.30 pm.