The Trinidad and Tobago national selectors have made one change to squad for the third round match against the English Lions in the West Indies Four-Day tournament starting on Friday, at the Queen’s Park Oval.
Middle-order batsman and part-time slow bowler Aneil Kanhai has been omitted from the team which defeated the Combined Colleges and Campuses (CCC) on Monday at the Sir Frank Worrell Ground at the University of the West Indies in St Augustine.
Yannic Cariah, the 18-year-old former West Indies Under-19 left-handed batsman has replaced him.
Cariah said yesterday he was thrilled to be included in the squad and was looking forward to playing. “I have been fighting and working hard for a long time to get on the senior team and now it has come to reality, makes me very happy indeed.”
The left hand batsman and right arm leg-spinner said he was looking for a call-up but did not expect it so quickly. “I have been playing good cricket and was looking for a call up, however, it came very early in the season and this surprised me. I am going out there to represent my country and do well for us and make a contribution to this very good team we have.”
Manager Omar Khan believes Cariah has much to add. “I worked with him as manager of the West Indies Under-19 team at the World Cup in New Zealand and I can tell you he is fiercely determined to perform well. He has the potential and ability and can add value. This is his opportunity, I hope he makes full use of it.”
The T&T team will train today from 9 am at the Sir Frank Worrell Ground at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine and tomorrow from 2 pm at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.
The English Lions will train at the Oval this afternoon and also tomorrow morning.
T&T squad: Daren Ganga (captain), Lendl Simmons, Justin Guillen, Runako Morton, Yannic Cariah, Denesh Ramdin, Imran Khan, Rayad Emrit, Dave Mohammed, Amit Jaggernauth, Shannon Gabriel, Sherwin Ganga and Atiba Allert.