TTCB Media Release.
Couva, Trinidad - Trinidad and Tobago is expected mount a serious challenge for the West Indies Cricket Board Under-17 Regional title which bowls off in Tobago on Tuesday.
The national Under-17 team finished fifth at last year’s tournament but a deep batting lineup and balanced bowling attack has instilled the team with a great deal of confidence to dethrone Barbados. Young Red Force captain, Kirstan Kallicharan noted that the ammunition at his disposal will make it difficult for Barbados to retain their title.
“The strong points I saw in this team is the batting and our opening bowlers. The opening bowlers gave us a good start in the nets here even though we did not have any match practice but in the nets you saw that they are improving in their game and the top seven batsmen are very strong so we have depth in our batting,” said Kallicharan.
He continued, “The bowlers are very adaptable and they can be used in different situations such as in the powerplays and in the death. I think we have a really allround team that can go on to win the tournament.”
The national Under-17 team concluded a successful training camp for the tournament on Wednesday at the National Cricket Centre with the team working on various aspects of their game.
“The beginning of the camp was great and by the end I think you could see a difference in the team. I was telling coach that we achieved our goals at the end of the camp such as improving our game and I thinked it helped us a lot to develop our cricketing skills,” Kallicharan noted.
“The team has bonded well in the camp which is a great thing for us. Last year we did not do to well but this year will be different because the guys want to go out there and play hard and smart cricket. The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board as given us everything such as ensuring we were mentally and physically prepared so I guess we have to go out there and do the job now,” he added.
Kallicharan, Saiba Batoosingh, Cephas Cooper and Keagan Simmons are also in the national Under-19 team. The Young Red Force captain stated that this has increased expectation on the quartet to deliver outstanding performances for the national Under-17 team.
“There is a bit of pressure for us but at the end of the day we know we have to go out there and do our jobs. It is going to be hard for us not in the first tournament but in the second one because whatever happens in the first tournament is going to transfer into the second tournament and that is either going to make us or break us.
We just have to stay strong and the other guys in the team have to keep on working hard and keep their focus,” said Kallicharan.
TTCB Media Release.