TTCB boss lauds 'inspirational' West Indies

THE Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) has extended congratulations to the West Indies cricket team and its coach Phil Simmons for their historic Test series victory against Bangladesh on Sunday in Dhaka.

The Caribbean cricketers shocked the critics by sweeping the two-match series with a nail-biting 17-run win to add to the equally sensational triumph in the First Test a week ago in Chattogram.

“We really have no superlatives to describe the immense joy that the entire cricket community feels not only in the region but throughout the world,” said Azim Bassarath, president of the TTCB.

“Tagged as underdogs before the tour, and leaving these shores with several established players opting out because of the covid19 pandemic concerns, our cricketers defied the odds with their inspirational display,” he said.

Bassarath said that the cricketers who accepted the challenge to tour, especially the debutants and several others, left a dilemma for the regional selectors having proved their mettle in unfamiliar conditions.

“Captain Kraigg Braithwaite deservedly got sweet revenge for the narrow defeat he suffered when he last led a West Indies team to Bangladesh and his captaincy left nothing to be desired,”said Bassarath.

“The skipper was able to keep his team focused in taxing circumstances against highly regarded opposition to turn the tables on the home team. It was nothing short of an amazing demonstration of courage, determination and teamwork.”

He said double-centurion Kyle Mayers on his debut, the consistency of batsmen Jermaine Blackwood and Nkrumah Bonner, and the series-leading wicket-taker Rahkeem Cornwall, along with fellow spinner Jomel Warrican silenced the detractors and underlined the quality of cricketers who are just waiting for the right opportunity to wear the maroon cap with pride.

The TTCB boss noted the TT representatives of the team, fast bowler Shannon Gabriel and wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva, also proved invaluable to the team effort.

“Da Silva was spotted by us at the TTCB after just one productive season with Queen’s Park and was immediately offered a retainer contract with the Red Force, and we are happy than since then he has gone from strength to strength and hopefully has many successful years as a Test cricketer ahead of him.”

Bassarath described Gabriel as a workhorse and among the most committed cricketers to his craft who produces the goods when called upon to do so. He said the quick bowler did not fail to keep the Bangladeshi batsmen in check on the slow, batting-friendly wickets.

Also receiving high commendation was West Indies coach Phil Simmons who Bassarath said was undaunted in being given what was arguably the most difficult job in Test cricket to take the untested team last month to the Asian sub-continent.