Embattled West Indies left handed batsman Darren Bravo has been selected to prepare for the T&T Red Force for next year’s Regional Super50 tournament, after the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) inquired about his availability from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) which indicated that he can play but the matter is far from over.
Bravo was not offered a retainer by the T&T Red Force because he was one of the players who was centrally retained by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). Recently Bravo decided against accepting a retainer contract from WICB for the next year because he was offered a ‘C’ grade. This led to the Queen’s Park player allegedly tweeting unkind remarks about the president of the WICB Dave Cameron and he was sent home from the tour of Zimbabwe.
In addition to this, he was asked to apologise and take down the tweet but he refused on both counts and was told by WICB’s cricket operations manager Richard Pybus that he could face further sanction if he did not do as requested. This has left him out in the cold, as far as West Indies cricket is concerned but the TTCB wanted him in their squad to play in the Regional Super50 which gets underway towards the end of January.
The local board wrote to the WICB seeking clarification as to whether Bravo can be selected and got no response initially.
They went ahead and included him after they got word that there is nothing that legally prevents him from being selected. However, it is understood that this has left some members of the WICB upset and could cause a problem moving forward. The directors who are against this decision informed TTCB treasurer Sukesh Maniam of the feelings at the WICB board meeting yesterday.
Bravo is among 41 players who will attend training sessions under head coach Gus Logie from today at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Couva.
Also included is another out-of-favour West Indies player, Denesh Ramdin.
The wicketkeeper/batsman has been dropped from the regional team but continues to play cricket and just recently played in the US Twenty20 (T20) Tournament in Florida.
A surprising call up is fast bowler Keiron Lynch who last played for T&T some six years ago. Also selected is recently elected UNC Councillor Adrian Ali, who is a wicketkeeper/batsman.
Players called to prepare are: Evin Lewis, Kjorn Ottley, Nicholas Alexis, Ewart Nicholson, Justin Guillen, Tamil Pooran, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Jeremy Solozano, Ricky Jaipaul, Kavesh Kantasingh, Bryan Charles, Daniel St Clair, Akeal Hosein, Anderson Phillip, Shannon Gabriel, Stephawn Solomon, Keiron Lynch, Kerwyn Sirju, Kyle Hope, Yannic Cariah, Yannick Ottley, Roshon Primus, Isaiah Rajah, Steven Katwaroo, Imran Khan, Jon-Russ Jagessar, Sheldon Cottrell, Marlon Richards, Jyd Goolie, Kharry Pierre, Adrian Ali, Mark Deyal, Jason Mohammed, Rayad Emrit, TeShawn Alleyne, Navin Bedaisee, Cephas Cooper, Kirstan Kallicharan, Mathew Patrick and Keagan Simmons. (Trinidadian Guardian)