Da Silva to lead Red Force as Windies quartet return

WICKETKEEPER/BATSMAN Joshua Da Silva replacing off-spinner Bryan Charles as Red Force captain was one of four changes made to the Trinidad and Tobago squad ahead of their 2025 West Indies Championship round two tie against Windward Islands Volcanoes on February 5, at Arnos Vale Playing Field in Kingstown, St Vincent, from 1 pm.

Also joining the Rayad Emrit-coached unit fresh off West Indies’ two-match, tied Test tour of Pakistan in January, are fast bowlers Jayden Seales and Anderson Phillip, alongside another wicketkeeper/batsman Amir Jangoo, who made his Test debut in Pakistan.

The more experienced quartet replaces wicketkeeper Antonio Gomez, who also made his senior TT debut against Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in the Red Force’s opening inning and 75-run victory on February 1, fast bowler Justin Manick, and unused substitutes Anderson Rambaran and Aaidan Racha.

TT’s confidence-building first-round win combined with the new additions have strengthened their all-round attack versus the Volcanoes. Windwards were beaten by 178 runs in their round one match against Jamaica Scorpions and will also be gunning for an improved showing against TT in front of their home crowd.

Additionally, Red Force are now coached by former TT fast bowler Emrit, who ascended to head coach after former coach David Furlonge resigned from the role after the opening WI Championship match, and took up a two-year, coach/manager deal at Queen’s Park Cricket Club.

Against CCC, TT posted a mammoth 504/6 declared, led by Jason Mohammed (176), Jyd Goolie (121), Cephas Cooper (80) and Vikash Mohan (66). Spin proved handy for TT as Yannic Cariah (3/26), Khary Pierre (2/50), Charles (2/56) and TT’s debutant pacer Joshua James (2/24) dismissed CCC for 222 in the first innings.

Sent back in to bat trailing by 282, CCC were dismissed for 207 on the final day’s play courtesy a stellar 7/40 from Pierre and 2/6 from Goolie, handing the hosts a convincing triumph.

In other matches around the region on February 5, both first round winners Leeward Islands Hurricanes meet the Scorpions at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in North Sound, Antigua. When Jamaica defeated Windwards by 178 runs, Leewards also got past West Indies Academy by a hefty 402 runs.

Defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles host CCC at the National Stadium in Providence after thumping Barbados Pride by ten wickets in their opener. First-round losers Pride and WI Academy meet in round two at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

TT RED FORCE TEAM – West Indies Championship Round Two

Joshua Da Silva (captain), Bryan Charles (vice-captain), Amir Jangoo, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales, Yannic Cariah, Cephas Cooper, Jyd Goolie, Joshua James, Vikash Mohan, Jason Mohammed, Khary Pierre, Tion Webster