Chairman of selectors : Red Force can win Super50 Cup

Newly appointed national cricket selectors’ chairman Rajendra Mangalie is confident the TT Red Force can win the Cricket West Indies (CWI) CG United Super50 Cup title, when the tournament bowls off in Trinidad in November.

The former Trinidad and Tobago opening batsman Mangalie said he is pleased with what he has seen so far in the opening round of the ongoing four-team tournament, which is being used as trials to select the national team.

Mangalie is joined on the TTCricket Board’s national selection committee by coast guardsman Frank Simmons, former national batsman David Mohammed, Ricardo Paty, who played for Queen’s Park, and head coach Rayad Emrit.

“We have a very proud record in the Super50 Cup and I am very optimistic as the tournament will be held in Trinidad. It is very important we get everything right in terms of assembling a balanced team,” said Mangalie via a TTCB statement.

The Red Force are defending Super50 champions having won in 2023 as no winners were crowned last year when Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions both forfeited the final in a controversial finish to the tournament.

Both captains were not present for a delayed toss, effectively refusing to play and as a result, CWI declared that no champions would be declared.

Already, in the first round of the four-team trial matches last week, the fast bowlers and batsmen put their hands up with Abdul-Raheem Toppin (5/34), Shaaron Lewis (3/22) giving Soca Strikers a close 19-run win over Cocrico Warriors.

This was after Jacen Agard (3/15) and Ricky Jaipaul (2/16) restricted Soca Strikers to 133, with only Andrew Rambaran showing his class with 63 in a low-scoring affair at the National Cricket Centre ground in Balmain.

Meanwhile, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, veteran all- rounder Tion Webster led from the front as Steelpan Titans edged Scarlet Blazers by one run in a high-scoring contest that went down to the final over.

Titans skipper Webster struck 73 off 93 balls with eight fours and two sixes, while fellow opener Kamil Pooran made 67 off 76 balls to set a solid platform.

Then Jyd Goolie’s run-a-ball 71 not out and Jesse Bootan’s aggressive 65 off 36 guided Titans to an imposing 316 for six off 50 overs.

The Blazers replied with 315 in 49.1 overs. Evin Lewis hit nine sixes and four fours in his 92 off 73 balls, while Joshua Davis scored a composed 62 off 76 balls.

Late-order efforts from Aadian Racha (31) and Justin Manick (20) kept them in the hunt, but Webster (2/44) held his nerve in the final over, removing Jerve Cummings (15) with the first ball to seal a thrilling win.

Speaking on the ongoing trial tourney for Super50 Cup team selection, Mangalie said, “I thought the performances reflected the desire of the batters and bowlers to make an impression on the selectors and showed that they are carrying on where they left off after the TTCB Premier League season.”

“The players making themselves available for national duty is an exciting mix of youth and experience in all departments of the game and with home advantage, we will be expected to extend our dominance in the limited overs format of the game.”

Managalie expects a challenging job to come up with a squad, considering the abundance of talent available, to provide TT the best chance of lifting the crown once more.