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THE TT Red Force players have been doing physical work in the early hours of the morning as they aim to stay active before the team trains for the first time in Antigua on Friday in preparation for the CG Insurance Super50 tournament.
The tournament bowls off on Sunday, but Red Force will play its opening match against Jamaica Scorpions on February 11 from 9 am at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
A strong team will represent Red Force as several senior and quality players have made themselves available. Captain Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran, Kjorn Ottley and Lendl Simmons are playing in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, which ends on Saturday. However, Red Force head coach David Furlonge confirmed with Newsday on Wednesday that the players will be available for Red Force’s opening contest.
The Red Force players who are in Antigua already are Jason Mohammed, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Imran Khan, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip and Khary Pierre.
Red Force trained for weeks and held multiple practice matches at the National Cricket Centre, Brian Lara Cricket Academy and the Queen’s Park Oval before leaving for Antigua.
“We had one day room quarantine and we allowed now to move around among ourselves...we in a bubble so we can’t leave the hotel at all, but we start to practice on Friday,” Furlonge said.
“We actually started some physical sessions yesterday (Tuesday) evening and this (Wednesday) morning so we will continue that until we get to go to practice on Friday afternoon.”
Furlonge said his players are showing commitment. “We trained yesterday (Tuesday) at half past four (in the afternoon) and we trained this (Wednesday) morning at six o’clock, so the fellas here really putting in the work.”
Furlonge wants his players to get into the habit of waking up early as the opening match against Scorpions starts at 9 am. “They all bought into it,” Furlonge said. Red Force are aiming to have five training sessions between Friday and February 10 before the opening match.
The Red Force players and staff already in Antigua arrived there between January 27 and Sunday. The team had two covid19 tests since arriving.
Furlonge said he has not received any news concerning the results that would hamper team preparations.
Furlonge is delighted that the Red Force players in Abu Dhabi are getting to play in a competitive environment before the Super50 begins.
“They playing cricket which is a good thing. They doing well yes...some fellas not doing well, but they are all professionals and this is a different type of game (with) the 50 overs and I think they will adapt when they get here.”
Furlonge said the tournament is played on the field therefore a formidable squad does not guarantee success. “If the tournament was played on paper probably we could came back home tomorrow (Thursday) with the trophy, but it is not played on paper...getting a good start is always important in any tournament...so we will certainly be trying to prepare our best to make that happen.”
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