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Red Force or Red Farce?

 
sgtdjones 2019-01-08 00:27:06 

Red Force or Red Farce?

AFTER capturing the imagination of the world at the inaugural T20 Champions League in 2009, the Red Force became synonymous with excellence, brilliant fielding, innovative captaincy and exciting cricket.

Today, the Red Force brand is unrecognisable and at its lowest ebb.

There has been much analysis of last year's four-day campaign, when TT embarrassingly finished last with two wins, five losses and three draws. So bad was this country's team's performance that if they doubled their 82.4 points tallied at the end of the season, they would still not have caught champions Guyana (166.8 points).

The debacle of 2017/2018 has been attributed to a changing of the guard, with the selectors placing faith in a number of young players. This year was expected to be different, with this fresh crop having an entire season under their belt and a full preparation for the new 2018/2019 competition.

But it has been the same old same old so far, with the Red Force crashing to defeats at home to the Windward Islands (by 76 runs) and Leeward Islands (by 245 runs). With fixtures against Jamaica (away), Barbados (home) and Guyana (home) next, TT could be staring at another bottom-of-the-barrel finish if they don't turn things around quickly.


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sgtdjones 2019-01-08 00:28:17 

Ramdin, Williams lament disaster
TT bowled out before lunch, lose to Leewards

TT RED Force coach Kelvin Williams and captain Denesh Ramdin both lamented the consistent batting woes of their team, following a 245-run hammering by the Leeward Islands in their West Indies Four Day Championship Third Round match.

Set a victory target of 342 yesterday, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, the Red Force, who began the day on 26 without loss, were bundled out for 96, shortly before lunch, with opener Jeremy Solozano offering lone resistance with 42. In the Red Force’s first innings total of 252, Solozano was the leading scorer with 80.

This defeat was the Red Force’s second in this 2018-2019 competition, and sixth on the trot, dating back to midway in the 2017-2018 season.

Williams, in a post-game interview, said, “We’re disappointed with the way we finished the game. We were looking to bat all day. To know that we were all out at lunch-time, I thought was very disappointing for myself, and perhaps the whole team.”

But Williams, the ex-national all-rounder, refused to entertain any thought of his position as Red Force coach being under threat.

“It’s a difficult question to answer,” he said. “I’ll just stay away from it.”


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WICFan 2019-01-08 07:16:27 

In reply to sgtdjones

No pressure on Darren Bravo's shoulders for the next match (if he plays) then. lol

I don't know if young Kirstan Kallicharan or Keagan Simmons have been playing well on the club cricket scene, but if with a couple of games to go in the PCL that T&T are still struggling to put runs on the board then they should consider introducing one or two newer, younger players.

 
Emir 2019-01-08 08:06:57 

In reply to WICFan

Look, the four day team has been horrible for a few years now, but the person who wrote this article must be a teenager- as he is comparing the former world renowned T-20 team that gave the world those stars with the current four day team.

Trinidad administrators have done a horrible job- from the top 15 players, only 3 are currently playing in the 4 day tourney, and it has been the same for the past 5 years.

Until the administrators find a way to marry experience with youth, extend the first class club season and return to 4 days games, the long long form cricket will suffer.

The youths are looking past the TTCBC for their future, they are focus on T20 franchise and who could blame them when every morning they wake up and they still see Bassrat and the other clowns running (down) Trinidad and Tobago Cricket.

 
sgtdjones 2019-01-08 09:02:59 

In reply to WICFan

Let us hope sanity prevails and the Bassarath Administration
gets voted out on the 16th January 2019.