(Trinidad Express) Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) skipper Kieron Pollard is urging his players to continue putting in the hard work as they gear up for their home leg of matches in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League T20.
TKR will square off against defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, from 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
The most successful CPL franchise, TKR posted their third win from four matches when defeating Barbados Royals at Kensington Oval last Friday night, before returning to Trinidad on Saturday ahead of their five home games.
Following their clash against the GAW, the Knights then face Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on Thursday at the QPO. And after a two-day break, with the action shifting to the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, they host St Kitts and Nevis Patriots from 7 p.m. on Sunday.
On the Republic Day holiday, Pollard’s men will battle St Lucia Kings in a 10 a.m. match at Tarouba before ending the home leg on September 27 against the Barbados Royals at the same venue from 8 p.m.
TKR are currently on six points. Two victories at home will be enough for TKR to clinch a playoff spot, but the 2023 finalists will be aiming for perfection as they hunt an unprecedented fifth CPL crown.
“Terrance to the international scene,” Pollard said of Terrance Hinds’ six to seal a tense two-wicket victory against the Royals, off the penultimate ball of the game.
“Getting the opportunity to bat and win games when your primary thing is to bowl, I think is commendable.
“The hard work that you have been putting in continues to show that when you give cricket your heart and soul, cricket tends to reward you. So this is not an opportunity to stop now and relax. This is an opportunity for you to continue to work hard,” he told Hinds and the rest of the squad.
“And yes, from a bowling perspective, you felt that you didn’t bowl well because you look at the scorecard but at the end of the day, we average out everything and if you said we going to get 155 at the start, we were going to take it,” Pollard added.
“So we continue to work hard and continue to get better. But being able to finish off the match and keeping your composure after the first half, well done to you.”
Pollard also reminded his players that “When we have our chats in our batting meeting, everyone is there because we expect one to 11 to deliver for us in different scenarios and I just thought from a batting perspective we went great as a team.
“I see the youngsters learning very quickly and that is very pleasing for all of us in the dressing room, so well done.” He also praised the work of Akeal Hosein in the win against the Royals after the left-arm orthodox spinner took two wickets (for 29 runs) and scored 20 off ten balls.
Hosein acknowledged that the CPL trophy has eluded TKR for a few seasons and that everyone needed to play a part if they are to secure their fifth title.
“The trophy eluded us for a couple of years, so it is all hands on deck and it is good to have these type of finishes from the younger guys to help out the senior guys,” said Hosein. The last of TKR’s four championship wins came in 2020.
They also won the tournament in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Meanwhile, head coach Phil Simmons said the team is in a good place ahead of their home games with different players stepping up when needed and he is hoping that trend continues.
“We are leaving here and going home in a brilliant space I would say,” Simmons told the players in a dressing room chat on Saturday.
“Three wins from four games and now we are going home. But it wasn’t just winning. In every game somebody else stood up and that is important for teams,” he added.
