They are on a six-match unbeaten streak and boast three players with Test experience, all of whom are in the West Indies provisional squad for the 2013 Champions Trophy.
In short, Trinidad and?Tobago are heavy favourites to brush aside Combined Colleges and Campuses (CCC)?in today’s day/night first semi-final of the Regional Super-50 cricket competition at Kensington Oval. Play starts at 2:30 p.m.
Names don’t win matches but in a low-scoring competition, Trinidad and Tobago must feel comfortable that they can turn to Adrian Barath, captain Denesh Ramdin and Lendl Simmons, all of whom have played Test and One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
The Red Force, under the watchful eye of manager Omar Khan and coach David Williams, completed an intense practice session at The Oval while the CCC opted to prepare in familiar conditions at the Three Ws Oval under the supervision of player/coach Floyd Reifer, manager Horton Dolphin and assistant-manager Steven Leslie.
Barath is anxious to compensate for a modest season.
“I?have had an up and down season and it would be nice to do well at this vital stage of the competition,”?he said. “It’s a big match and a good score would be a birthday gift as I turned 23 on Sunday. I am going to give it my best shot.”
Khan told NATION SPORT that they were looking to make it seven straight wins.
“We are confident having won all our preliminary games, but there is always room for improvement and we will be seeking to play even better in the semi-finals,”?he said.
“We expect to beat the CCC?and reach the final. The guys have been playing good 50-over cricket and we want to continue in that vein. Our bowling is strong with Shannon Gabriel, Rayad Emrit and Yannick Ottley and the batting is solid. Everyone can bat and bowl, that is one of our strengths.”
Speaking minutes after the team’s net session, Leslie acknowledged that CCC were underdogs after their modest preliminary performances but were unfazed and remained upbeat.
“We took the option of practising at the Three Ws Oval because we wanted to have an environment familiar to us,”?he said. “We have had three sessions in the last three days, so we are quite happy with our preparation. The team is confident. We hope to play a brand of cricket that will not only entertain spectators but those who will be viewing on ESPN. We know what we have to do and I am confident the boys can defeat Trinidad and?Tobago.”
CCC?must know they have to lift their game to reach Sunday’s final. They have passed the 200-run mark only once, totalling 207 against the Windwards, but that was in a losing cause.
Captain Kyle Corbin has had a wretched time, averaging just nine and has not made a single score over 25. Dashing wicketkeeper bastman Chadwick Walton is the only one in the side named in the West Indies’ provisional squad of 30 for June’s Champions Trophy in England, but he too has had a lean time, averaging just 14.50.
“Coming into the semi-finals with the label of underdogs is not a bad thing,”?Leslie said.
“This is regional cricket where teams predominantly have not done well at some stage of the tournament, so I believe that the CCC’s chances are as good as any.
“The batting has been a concern for us in the entire tournament. We have to get some partnerships going and main contributions from captain Corbin and the other senior players.”
CCC have a more than useful bowling attack with much expected of off-spinner Ryan Austin, leg-spinner Akeem Dewar and the surprise package, left-arm fast medium Raymon Reifer, who is also the team’s top batsman with 140 runs.
“Reifer is now building himself into one of the better all-rounders on the circuit and he has reinforced our bowling,” Leslie said.
