T&T Nortel team ready for Jamaica (10 July 1999)

10 July 1999

T&T Nortel team ready for Jamaica

Garth Wattley

"We have to play with a little more ego!"

For the past 12 trophy-less seasons, they have failed to find the right formula to return to the top of regional youth cricket.

Last year, the Daren Ganga-led team lost their way in a rain-ruined competition.

But in 1999, the Trinidad and Tobago Nortel West Indies Under-19 youngsters are hoping a change in attitude will also produce a change in results.

At least that is the hope of coach Anthony Gray.

"In the past, we haven't played with enough aggression. So we will try to add that with what we have," explained the former Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies fast bowler in his first overseas stint with a national team.

The local team leaves tomorrow for Barbados to compete in the 1999 version of a tournament that will for the first time, include both a three-day and limited overs competition.

But Gray is clear on what the priority is.

"We're going there focusing on the three-day game. Let's concentrate on winning that first of all. Of foremost importance is the three-day game."

To achieve that goal, Gray stresses, attitude is nearly everything.

"We need to be a little more aggressive when it comes to the batting. Once our batsmen give our bowlers runs to go at, the bowlers just have to be patient (in both forms of the game).

And being asked to carry out that mental task is a unit that the coach describes as "well-balanced," its strengths being equally distributed between batting and bowling.

The squad is led by former T&T and West Indies Under-15 skipper Zaheer Ali, an attractive strokemaker whose talents are yet to be seen to the fullest effect. And supporting him will be players with sound National League experience-Gregory Mahabir, Chris Magram, Aneil Balliram and Sherwin Ganga, brother of West Indies player Daren.

The team's all-round potential is reflected in the fact that of the bowlers, Riyad Emrit, Devon Rogers, nephew of West Indies pacer Mervyn Dillon and Anton Bennet can also bat. Added to this pace trio are the off-spinner Rodney Sooklal and the left-arm spinner and former West Indies Under-15 spinner Devindra Krishna.

Gray also acknowledges that the preparation of a month-and-a-half of physicals, technical work, an eight-day camp and a two-day personal development session, represents adequate preparation.

And while conceding that his side does not know much about the opposition they will face in Zone 'A,' come the first match against defending champions Jamaica at the Kensington Oval on Tuesday he expects things to flow once the mental homework is done.

"Once we put into practice in the real games what we practiced and what we learnt in the personal development class, it should be good. It's just for the guys to hold their nerve."

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)