Barbados Pride will start the defence of the Regional Super50 limited overs cricket competition without West Indies one-day captain Jason Holder.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday to launch the tournament, captain Kraigg Brathwaite said Holder was recovering from elbow surgery and was doubtful for this afternoon’s opening day/night clash with Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Kensington Oval.
Five of the team’s leading players will head off in a few weeks for the 2018 ICC World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, but Brathwaite said he was confident the reserves will be able to do the job.
“It will be tough with some of the senior guys going off to the World Cup qualifier but I am confident that the guys that are coming in will do the job,” he said.
Brathwaite, 25, is leading the team for the first time in this format and says he is looking forward to the challenge.
“I see myself as a leader and I am going to grab this opportunity with both hands. I am looking forward to the opportunity,” he said.
Trinidad and Tobago’s captain Denesh Ramdin said his team was not intimidated by the supposed strength of the Barbados champion side.
“Barbados’ team is strong on paper. Cricket is played on the field. Our team is a mixture of experienced players and youngsters. We are ready to play,” he said.
On a personal note, the in-form Ramdin says he is not perturbed by being continually snubbed by West Indies selectors.
“I am enjoying life. I will keep putting runs on the board. Whatever happens, happens. I will keep performing.”
In relation to the condition of the outfield, which has been the subject of much contention over the past week, director of cricket at the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), Steven Leslie, said the ground was “more than 95 per cent ready.”
Leslie said much progress had been made in terms of regrading, sanding and fertilising.
“We have been able to make some progress getting all of our expertise on the ground. We were a bit concerned with some of the events we had recently, but we are going to be ready.
“I am really looking forward to this tournament. We hope that patrons will come out very early for the opening day . . . the Cricket Village, which will be managed by Chetwyn Stewart and PowerX 4, should also be a further attraction,” he said.
There are two matches scheduled for today – the other pitting CCC Marooners against Windward Islands Volcanoes at the 3Ws Oval at 9 .am. – and according to Leslie, both matches will start on time barring rain.
“Both Kensington and the 3Ws Oval have good drainage systems, so once we don’t have torrential rain, we should get play in both games and promptly,” he added.
Chief executive officer of the BCA, Noel Lynch, said he was confident the fans would come out in good numbers for the tournament, which will be played at three venues in Barbados – Kensington, 3Ws Oval and Windward – with the semi-finals and final slated for Antigua.
Lynch said though many people did not come through the gates for the first-class competition, 800 000 people watched the live stream of the top of the table clash between Guyana Jaguars and Barbados Pride, indicating “people were still interested in cricket”. (MK)