[UPDATED] Akeal Hosein, Darren Bravo give Red Force boost

THE West Indies pair of Akeal Hosein and Darren Bravo have returned to the TT Red Force line-up for round three of the Cricket West Indies Regional Four-Day Championships, next week.

All-rounder Imran Khan has been retained as captain of the Red Force.

Khan, who led the team for the first two rounds, will be hoping his successful run continues when Red Force play Leeward Islands Hurricanes from May 18-21 at Diego Martin Sporting Complex. A 15-man Red Force squad has been selected for the round three contest.

Jyd Goolie, Terrance Hinds and Kirstan Kallicharan have been overlooked after being in the squad for the first two rounds. They make room for Hosein and Bravo, along with fast bowler Uthman Muhammad. Hosein will play one match for Red Force, before travelling to The Netherlands and Pakistan with the West Indies One Day International team and Bravo will be available for the last three matches of the four-day season.

Speaking about the return of Hosein and Bravo, Red Force coach David Furlonge said, “It is always good to have top players...they are talented players and it is always good to have them in your squad. I think they will strengthen the squad.”

Hinds and Goolie have shown signs they can be reliable players in four-day cricket.

This season, Hinds scored 57 in his only innings. In the 2020 tournament, the last before the covid19 pandemic brought a halt to regional cricket, Hinds scored 259 runs in nine innings batting in the middle and lower order. He struck one century and one half-century at an average of 43.16. In the 2020 season, middle-order batsman Goolie made 151 runs in three innings which included a century. He ended with an average of 50.33.

On the players’ omission, Furlonge said, “I have spoke to them. Hinds is carrying a little niggle and as you know (Jayden) Seales and Anderson Phillip are going to the Netherlands, so Hinds will come back in for the next game.”

Furlonge said although Hinds has an injury it was a possibility he would have been selected in the 15-man squad.

“Jyd was unfortunate to miss out, again because of the inclusion of Bravo and Akeal Hosein, and (Isaiah) Rajah is also there who did well in the 15. It was a difficult decision, but I am sure they will be back in the team.”

Furlonge thinks once his team plays “smart cricket” they should be victorious.

In the first two rounds of the tournament, Red Force defeated the Windward Islands Volcanoes and Jamaica Scorpions before a break to accommodate the Ireland and English tour of the Caribbean.

The remaining three rounds will be contested in Trinidad.

In the other round three matches, Guyana Harpy Eagles come up against Barbados Pride at Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair and the Volcanoes play Scorpions at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

RED FORCE SQUAD

Imran Khan (captain), Keagan Simmons, Jeremy Solozano, Darren Bravo, Jason Mohammed, Joshua Da Silva, Akeal Hosein, Bryan Charles, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales, Shannon Gabriel, Yannic Cariah, Khary Pierre, Isaiah Rajah, Uthman Muhammad, David Furlonge (coach), Sebastian Edwards (manager), Clinton Jeremiah (trainer), Jason Pilgrim (physiotherapist)

This story was originally published with the title "Akeal Hosein, Darren Bravo in Red Force squad for Hurricanes clash" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

ALL-ROUNDER Imran Khan has been retained as captain of the TT Red Force for the resumption of the Cricket West Indies Regional Four-Day Championships next week.

Khan, who led the team for the first two rounds, will be hoping his successful run continues when Red Force play Leeward Islands Hurricanes from May 18-21 at Diego Martin Sporting Complex. A 15-man Red Force squad has been selected for the round three contest.

Jyd Goolie, Terrance Hinds and Kirstan Kallicharan have been overlooked after being in the squad for the first two rounds. They make room for West Indies pair Akeal Hosein and Darren Bravo, along with Uthman Muhammad.

In the first two rounds of the tournament Red Force defeated the Windward Islands Volcanoes and Jamaica Scorpions before a break to accommodate the Ireland and English tour of the Caribbean.

The remaining three rounds will be contested in Trinidad.

In the other round three matches, Guyana Harpy Eagles come up against Barbados Pride at Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair and the Volcanoes play Scorpions at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

RED FORCE SQUAD

Imran Khan (captain), Keagan Simmons, Jeremy Solozano, Darren Bravo, Jason Mohammed, Joshua Da Silva, Akeal Hosein, Bryan Charles, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales, Shannon Gabriel, Yannic Cariah, Khary Pierre, Isaiah Rajah, Uthman Muhammad, David Furlonge (coach), Sebastian Edwards (manager), Clinton Jeremiah (trainer), Jason Pilgrim (physiotherapist)