PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Left-arm spinner Kavesh Kantasingh believes his knowledge of conditions and the players will be of tremendous benefit to Trinidad and Tobago Red Force when they take on bitter rivals Barbados Pride at Kensington Oval in the second round of the Professional Cricket League four-day championship.
The 29-year-old spent most of his first class career in Barbados playing for Combined Campuses and Colleges, who were cut from the first class tournament last season with the introduction of the professional setup.
He says his time spent with the CCC has helped him accrue vital knowledge which could help Red Force.
“Barbados has a good team and playing there for years as well as with Cave Hill I have gotten to know a lot of players on the Bajan team,” Kantasingh said here.
“Knowing the players and conditions and being able to help the younger players in the team is an advantage. I am trying to guide them along the correct part and ensure that we come out victorious in that round.”
He continued: “I know there might be a couple of younger players on the opposition teams that I may not know but it is first class cricket and it has been played the same way for the past couple of years and I am really confident coming back in this season.”
Kantasingh will me making a return to top flight regional cricket after playing the last of his 37 first class games two years ago.
He is one of three non-contracted players – off-spinner Bryan Charles and left-arm seamer Daniel St. Clair are the others – who were named in the Red Force squad recently to face Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the first round starting on Friday at Warner Park in St Kitts.
The same squad will contest the second round fixture in Bridgetown.
Kantasingh said despite his time away from first class cricket, he did not expect any difficulties in reintegrating.
“Experience is something that does not leave you. Most of the times when you play a first class game you remember both positive and negative conditions and situations,” he pointed out.
“It is not going to be hard for me but it is just getting back in the groove of playing for my country once more. I think it is going to be easy, knowing that I have played a lot of first class games already so I know what to expect.”
