Congrats to the Red Force

My sincerest congratulations to the TT Red Force on their magnificent performance in completely conquering all competitors in the CG Regional Super50 Cup.

In the final last Saturday their bowlers completely dominated the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by demolishing their batting, although interrupted by rain, for a measly 136 runs. The Duckworth-Lewis method was applied and the target was revised to 138 in 43 overs.

This was easily achieved in 23.4 overs. A sparkling innings of 39 in 20 balls by Nicholas Pooran and a patient, positive innings of 40 in 35 balls by skipper Darren Bravo finalised the victory that gave the TTRF the title of Caribbean champions of 2023.

There was a solid start of 45 by Kjorn Ottley (23 in 45) and Joshua Da Silva (28 in 28) that laid the foundation, which did not allow any shakiness that could be caused by the loss of early wickets to unsettle the batting order.

Actually, Bravo’s men won in style and deserved all the accolades that might be given to them.

One of the players mentioned the camaraderie that existed in the dressing room, which is the attitude needed to build the foundation of positive thinking that a successful team needs, which made the unity a solid block, to challenge and overcome any opposition.

Head coach David Furlonge must be praised for shaping that awareness in his team, which is the secret to achieving the team spirit required, especially to get the better of tough opposition. It doesn’t matter how much one practises or establishes plans to strategise on the cricket field; unless the team possesses the spirit of sporting challenge to win, then it won’t happen. Of course, practice is important, but togetherness knits the fibre into a strong bond in the manner of “one for all and all for one,” a winning spirit that cannot be broken.

It was so pleasing to witness and enjoy the approach of the TTRF to its individual games. The team certainly played as a unit and it is important when replacements are made that fitting into the team’s characteristic traits is considered a necessity.

Bravo, as the leader, displayed more seriousness towards his responsibilities than in the past, and that could be for a multiplicity of reasons that he alone would understand. Whatever they are, he ought to maintain his current disposition to carry them out.

His approach to his batting is also more mature, with a better understanding of the game. It was good to notice the change and spot the critical and adult interpretation of all aspects of the game.

Sunil Narine has been a match-winner over the years, especially for TT and the Kolkata Knight Riders, his franchise club in India, with which he has been involved since 2012. He has always been an asset to his club, the Queen’s Park Cricket Club’s.

Sunil’s late father entered him in the QPCC coaching school at the tender age of seven in January 1996. He was a quiet, well-mannered boy, who grew up through the years with the same disposition. The school ran on Sunday mornings only, from January-May, and his dad ensured that he never missed a day.

Sunil was a classy left-handed batsman, and not much attention was paid to his bowling. Then, as fate would have it, Narine made the QPCC under-19 team to tour Barbados to participate in the Sir Garfield Sobers under-19 tournament, and while there, asked the coach on tour, Furlonge, why he wasn’t getting an opportunity to bowl. He was informed that the team had enough medium-pacers.

On his return home Sunil switched to bowling off-breaks, just to have the opportunity to bowl in matches. He loved bowling, and created a sensation in the nets with the steep angles at which he turned the ball.

He was propelled quickly up the ladder of success, moving into the QPCC first-division team, then the TT and WI under-19 teams and into the TT side.

“As the popular saying goes, “The rest is history.”

In 2014, Narine was invited to prepare for a Test series against New Zealand. He explained to Richard Pybus, the foreign director of cricket at the time under president “Dave” Cameron of CWI, that he had a final to play in the IPL and would be a day late. Preparation time was one week. Pybus removed him from the squad.