KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC-Trinidad and Tobago coach David Williams wants front line players in top form to carry that momentum into their first game in the regional four-day championship.
The Trinidadians launch their campaign with a game against Windward Islands starting today at the Arnos Vale playing field in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.
Williams says wins over the visiting Canada national team in three-day, 50 overs and T20 formats and outstanding performances during trial matches will boost confidence ahead of their opening four-day fixture.
“Preparations went very well,” said Williams.
“A number of guys played very good hands so we are hoping they can transfer that kind of form into the real thing and that is going to be the challenge.”
Batsmen Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed and Justin Guillen have all been in good form so far this year.
Guillen scored three consecutive centuries in the T&T trial matches, while Lewis and Mohammed both notched hundreds against Canada in the three-day game last week.
“It is always good for us when you have guys scoring hundreds. You are going into a competition with a certain degree of form and that is important,” said Williams.
“The good thing is that they got some form from the trial games they played and they will be going into the four-day competition full of confidence so we are just waiting to see how things are going to pan out.”
The T&T bowling department is also expected to receive a fillip with the return of off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth and fast bowler Ravi Rampaul.
Jaggernauth has been out of the national squad since 2011, while Rampaul is returning after injury which kept him out of T&T’s Caribbean Twenty20 campaign in January.
“To get five wickets under your belt gives you that level of confidence that you need,” said Williams of Jaggernauth, the 29 year old who has 250 first class wickets from 64 matches and has represented West Indies in one test.
“He is bowling pretty well and he is confident in himself and we are hoping that he continues doing well for us. He is an important member of the team and once he continues to show that kind of form then we should be in good stead”.
Jaggernauth took a six-wicket haul against Canada in the three-day match last week.
T&T were given a bye for the first round of matches in the four-day championship which started last week.
Squads
WINDWARD ISLANDS (from): Liam Sebastien (captain), Andre Fletcher, Donwell Hector, Lindon James, Delorn Johnson, Keddy Lesporis, Garey Mathurin, Nelon Pascal, Kenroy Peters, Dalton Polius, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith, Tyronne Theophile
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (from): Denesh Ramdin (captain), Adrian Barath, Yannic Cariah, Rayad Emrit, Shannon Gabriel, Justin Guillen, Amit Jaggernauth, Kavesh Kantasingh, Imran Khan, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ravi Rampaul, Lendl Simmons