Sherfane Rutherford and Fabian Allen are the two X-factor players for the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots in this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
This is according to head coach, Simon Helmot who made the remarks during a press conference yesterday where he reiterated that the goal was to push for a place in the final and cart off the title.
Helmot said he expects big seasons from both Rutherford and Allen, noting that both come in with reputations of being among the best all-rounders in the region.
On Rutherford, who played for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the past, he said, “I think he will be a strong player for us in the middle order. Obviously he can bat anywhere in that middle order spot. Such a strong all-round cricketer, he can even bowl us a few overs so I think guys like Sherfane…they are really X-factor players and hopefully can complement the existing talent we already have at the Patriots,”he declared.
The 23-year-old Guyanese has played 61 T20s and has a strike rate of 138 with two half centuries while with the ball, he has eight wickets under his belt. He has been part of the Indian Premier League with teams such as Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians and has played for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League as well.
Meanwhile, speaking on Allen, Helmot said, “Fabien Allen is an awesome all-round cricketer and we saw his all-round skills against Australia in the recent T20I series. His crafty left arm bowling, he is one of the best fielders in the world and obviously he is a finisher with the bat,” he said. The head coach also said that that he was ecstatic to have the likes of Dwayne Bravo, who he worked closely with when he was coaching Trinbago Knight Riders and Chris Gayle who is regarded as one of the most destructive T20 batsmen of all time in the side.
For Helmot, the overseas talent of Ravi Bopara and Fawad Ahmed will also boost the local core of players who have been with the team so far.
He relayed that there are still five players in quarantine at the moment while Bopara and Joshua Da Silva are yet to join the camp ahead of their first match on August 27 against Barbados Royals.
Full squad: Rayad Emrit (C), Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, Dominic Drakes, Devon Thomas, Colin Archibald, Mikyle Louis, Asif Ali, Ravi Bopara, Fawad Ahmed, Paul van Meekeren, Dwayne Bravo, Joshua Da Silva, Chris Gayle, Sherfane Rutherford.
