PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Despite boasting a star-studded line-up for the upcoming Regional Super50 tournament, head coach Kelvin Williams has warned Trinidad and Tobago Red Force against complacency as they chase their first title in three years.
Red Force will be led by former Test captain Denesh Ramdin and includes Dwayne
Bravo, Evin Lewis, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Lendl Simmons.
Already, pundits have installed them as favourites to win the October 3-28 tournament.
However, Williams warned it was still important for the side not to take success for granted and play to their true potential.
“We have a very strong team on paper but as the saying goes you have to play to win it,” he told the Guardian newspaper here.
“It is not just about having a strong team. We need to go out there and play hard and together to bring home the win. I am glad to see that all the senior players are back because we really want to win this tournament for the nation.
“Of course, it is also good to see that these guys are willing to come back and make themselves available for the West Indies.”
There were question marks over the fitness of key batsmen Darren Bravo and Jason Mohammed, after they picked up injuries in the final of the Caribbean Premier League earlier this month.
However, Williams said he expected them to recover in time and be ready for the majority of the competition.
“I have been in constant contact with both players and they are recovering nicely. I think if they can’t play the opening match, they will definitely be ready by the second game,” Williams confirmed.
Neither Bravo nor Mohammed took part in yesterday’s practice match at the National Cricket Centre.
Group A of the Super50, comprising Red Force, defending champions Windward Islands Volcanoes, Guyana Jaguars, West Indies B and Canada will be hosted here in Trinidad while Group B, featuring Barbados Pride, Combined Campuses and Colleges, Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and United States, will be staged in Bridgetown.
The top two teams from each group will clash in semi-finals carded for October 25 and 26 at Kensington Oval while the final will be played two days later at the same venue.
Red Force last won the domestic 50-overs title when they thrashed Pride in the final of the 2016 tournament at Queen’s Park Oval.
