TTCB – News

Manager Khan: T20 cricket lifts T&T game
September 14, 2011

TRINIDAD and Tobago cricket team captain Daren Ganga, right, presents a token of appreciation to Rabindra Jaggernauth, a director of the National Gas Company (NGC) after the announcement of NGC's sponsorship of the T&T for the upcoming 2011 Nokia Champions League T20 tournament in India. The presentation took place on Monday at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.
Photo courtesy T&T Cricket Board

TRINIDAD and Tobago cricket has received a big vote of confidence on the eve of the national senior team’s participation in the 2011 Nokia Champions League T20 tournament in India which bowls off with a qualifying tournament on September 19.

At a farewell function for the cricketers, organized by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (T&TCB), manager of the team Omar Khan proudly announced that six T&T players have been selected in the West Indies squad for their short tour of Bangladesh in November.

Khan said that opening batsmen Adrian Barath and Lendl Simmons, left-handed stroke-player Daren Bravo, wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, big-hitter Kieron Pollard and fast bowler Ravi Rampaul have all been rewarded by the regional selectors for outstanding, consistent  performances.

The T&TEC chairman said the list of talented T&T players knocking hard on the door or regional selection does not end there pointing out that Dwayne Bravo and Rayad Emrit would have also featured high   which was a testament to the depth and quality of local cricket.

Khan began his address by thanking president of the T&T Cricket Board for his personal interest in ensuring that the national cricketers benefitted from all available resources at their disposal to prepare  themselves for the 2011 Champions league T20.

He said planning for the tournament started earlier this year when T&T won the Caribbean T20 Championships in Barbados and he is confident that everything was done to ensure that the cricketers are suitably prepared for the challenge ahead.

Khan also expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Sport for providing financial support to the team and for the gifts of equipment, Oakley sunshades and IPads to members of the touring party at a function hosted by Minister Anil Roberts on Monday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

“I can assure  you that everything  will be put to good use. The Trinidad and Tobago T20 team has built a great reputation in India and will be looking to enhance it when we play first in the qualifying tournament  against Ruhuna Rhinos (September 19) of Sri Lanka and Leicestershire of England (September 20) in Hyderabad,” said Khan.

He said the T&T team, scheduled to leave for India on Wednesday evening was also expected to play one warm-up match against Kolkota Knight Riders before the qualifying matches.

Khan said the T&T team has a penchant for lifting their game in T20 competitions possibly because the financial rewards are huge but he said their self-belief also played a significant part in their success against more fancied opponents.

“The national cricketers are proud to represent Trinidad and Tobago and are very good ambassadors. They conduct themselves very well and this makes the job of the manager very easy,” said Khan. He said strict rules apply to the team on tour and that anyone found in breach of the established standard will face stern disclipinary action such as fines and strong censure.

Khan praised the T&T Cricket Board for sustaining  their development programmes which he said are bearing rich fruit as evidenced by their regional T20 success; qualification for the 2011 Nokia Champions League T20; and the selection of the six WI players on the WI squad to play in Bangladesh.

He said quite apart from the WI selectees there are several other T&T players who can hold their own at the highest level of the game and will be counted upon to take their team to great achievements in India.

Among them he said were leg spinner Dave “Tadpole” Mohammed, middle-order batsman Jason Mohammed; and the young talented  duo of Sunil Narine (spinner) and Kevon Cooper (medium pace).