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RETURNING West Indies (WI) One-Day International (ODI) vice-captain Jason Mohammed, all-rounder Akeal Hosein and batsman Kjorn Ottley are expected to arrive in Antigua, on Wednesday, to get an early start on their preparations ahead the TT Red Force’s Super50 campaign.
The trio will link up with national coach David Furlonge, teammates Darren Bravo (vice-captain), Denesh Ramdin, Imran Khan, Jayden Seales, Khary Pierre, Anderson Phillip and technical staff Sebastian Edwards (manager), Lyndon Knights (physiotherapist), Clinton Jeremiah (trainer) and Kelly Sankar (masseur), on Sunday.
The coach and his travelling contingent departs TT en route to Barbados on Saturday, overnights there and then heads to Antigua on Sunday.
Red Force Super50 captain Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Rampaul and Lendl Simmons are involved with the Abu Dhabi T10 League and are expected to return two days prior to their opening clash against the Jamaica Scorpions. At Tuesday’s training session at the National Cricket Centre in Couva, coach Furlonge held another outdoor batting session with the TT-based six alongside fellow coaches David and Kelvin Williams (unrelated).
“We’ve had the draft fixtures for about two weeks so we were aware that Jamaica would be our first opponent. We have been preparing for them in our opening clash.
“All of the players will be available and would be ready for the game. The T10 players would arrive in Antigua and would be there to practise with us two days before the game,” said Furlonge.
According to the former Queen’s Park Cricket Club coach, the majority of Red Force players have already experienced life in a bio-secure bubble, owing to the 2020 Caribbean Premier League and the WI tour of England, New Zealand and Bangladesh.
Having to cope with isolated training, minimal physical interaction with anyone outside of their respective team circle among other mandatory changes owing to the pandemic, Furlonge believes the guys are mentally prepared to deal with these new elements of cricket.
Additionally, there will be no home and away games throughout this year’s CG Insurance Super50 Cup since the tournament is being hosted on one island to limit the risk and spread of covid19.
Furlonge said, “The majority, if not all, the players have already been in and experience a ‘bubble’ system. They know what to expect. A bubbles system is tough, but playing away from home might be a bit easier task in a bubble as compared to if you’re home.
“When you’re at home in a bubble, it’s a bit tougher because your family is within reach but you’re unable to get to them. They will adjust well to it. I don’t think it will affect them that much.”
This will be Furlonge’s first official match in charge of the Red Force since he was appointed on December 1, 2020. He replaced outgoing national coach and ex-West Indies (WI) pacer Mervyn Dillon.
The veteran coach is intent on capturing the coveted title and goal-bound to end TT’s four-year regional trophy drought.
He concluded, “It’s a tournament, every year, it plays in different countries so this year we’re in Antigua. We will have to get accustomed as soon as possible. We have an idea of the pitches there and how they will play. We did some checks into that.
“We’re just preparing as best as we could to be ready when that first game comes around. It’s more special this year because the senior players have made themselves available. We have what we think is the best available team. We want to win and bring home the trophy.”
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