Don't let the team down

- The so-called shareholders of a Barbados team which has not won a regional limited-overs title for 13 years have been given a simple but strict message for the 2001 Red Stripe Bowl starting here today. "The key word should be responsibility and it doesn't matter who the opposition is," team coach Hendy Springer said yesterday ahead of Barbados' opening match against first-time competitors Antigua.

"We have some guys who have represented Barbados for a while and we need to put that extra pressure on the senior batsmen and senior bowlers to perform and to bring the rest of the team through."

As a result, the tour selection panel - chairman Richard Edwards, Springer, captain Sherwin Campbell and vice-captain Courtney Browne - last night opted for the most experienced combination after reducing the squad to 12.

It meant, therefore, there were no places for the uncapped Kurt Wilkinson and Ryan Nurse, while the struggling Adrian Griffith seems to be battling with the in-form Dale Richards for the final batting spot.

There would have been debate over whatever team Barbados went for, but the crux of the matter is that Campbell's men cannot afford to slip up at the first hurdle in a brief preliminary phase in which they play only three matches.

Defeat today at the Uitvlugt ground on the west coast of Demerara surely puts them under pressure to finish among the top two in a group that also includes hosts Guyana and the Southern Windwards, the main bunch of last year's champions. Every game, then, is a must-win situation.

"I look at it so, not only for points, but for general credibility and confidence," Springer said. "We're looking to win all the games, we're looking to play hard. We want to start with a good win, because that is always a good note to start on. It will give the guys confidence going into the other games."

Antigua may be first-timers in name only, but the make-up of the team features a few players who are seasoned campaigners.

Among them are captain and hard-hitting batsman Dave Joseph; vicecaptain and West Indies wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs; 1999 MVP, the enterprising Sylvester Joseph; along with two consistent regional limited-overs performers, allrounder Wilden Cornwall and off-spinner Anthony Lake.

The fast bowling attack, too, appears to have a good look. It will be spearheaded by Kerry Jeremy and also includes Ricky Christopher and Goldwyn Prince.

"They've got a pretty good combination of players, but I still fancy the chances of the Barbados team with the more experienced line-up," Springer said.

It has not been a secret Barbados' preparations have not been ideal. The team was picked less than two weeks ago following three back-toback trial matches and the planned practice matches last week were thwarted by the weather.

"The preparations have been adequate, but not sufficient," the coach said.

On arriving in this South American country on Sunday following a 5:30 a.m flight, the team engaged in a three-hour evening practice session at the LBI ground and came back yesterday morning for similar work out at the Malteenoes ground.

"We need to get familiar with the conditions," Springer said.

"We found yesterday (Sunday) that the pitch was very, very low. It emphasises the fact that the batsmen have got to do a lot of frontfoot work. Guyana's weather has often been a problem for major cricket matches, but it was mainly hot and sunny yesterday and reports indicate that the weather was fine over the last few days.