Red Force shift focus to Guyana clash...unfazed with CCC result

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force coach David Furlonge said his team has already shifted focus to Wednesday’s clash against Guyana Harpy Eagles following Monday’s controversial no result against Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in match 13 of the CG United Insurance Super50 Cup at Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair.

On Monday, Red Force players and team staff were left disgruntled after a slow over-rate and other questionable tactics were used by CCC to prevent a loss and eke out a no result.

The result saw TT (ten points) slip to second place in Zone A as a victory from Guyana (12 pts) over Windward Islands Volcanoes on Monday propelled them atop the standings.

The Volcanoes (eight pts) are third while CCC remain winless after four matches.

After the TT/CCC match, Furlonge submitted his match report to the technical committee and confirmed that he did highlight “all the anomalies” which led to Monday’s unsettling result for the Red Force.

“We did our required match report. We cannot say what the umpires did but I know everyone is supposed to file some sort of a report after every match. It’s in the hands of the technical committee now so we’ll see what comes out of it,” he said.

Newsday also contacted TT Cricket Board president Azim Bassarath for his thoughts on Monday’s match outcome but he chose to refrain from commenting.

Furlonge, however, said it was important to keep a positive mood in the TT camp as they also lost their youthful pace-attack of Jayden Seales and Anderson Phillip, and wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva, who all charted off to Australia on Tuesday, bound for West Indies duty.

“We’re not down. The fellas are professionals. There’s nothing we can do as it’s beyond our control.

“We just focus on what’s ahead of us which is the second game against Guyana. Everyone is fine and we had a nice practice session this morning at the Oval,” he added.

Following the trio’s exit, wicketkeeper/batsman Amir Jangoo was added to the TT squad list.

On Wednesday at the Oval, from 9am, Red Force will be hoping to deliver an improved performance against the Harpy Eagles.

The pair met for the first time this season at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, last Wednesday, and the visitors emerged victors by three runs.

In other matches, CCC face the Windward Islands at Tarouba from 2pm and Zone B action continues with table leaders Leeward Islands (ten pts) against cellar-placed West Indies Academy (four pts).

Also in Zone B are second-placed Barbados Royals (six pts) and third-ranked Jamaica Scorpions (four pts).