PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – Darren Sammy is backing the Windward Islands to repeat as champions in the NAGICO Super50 Tournament, which will be played in Trinidad and Tobago, starting Thursday.
The allrounder was initially named as Windward skipper but had to pull out of the tournament as he is still recovering from injury.
Sammy was also absent last year when Liam Sebastien led the Windwards to the title – with a resounding victory over Combined Campuses & Colleges at Kensington Oval to lift the champions’ trophy.
“I was not here last year when the team played so very well to win the final in Barbados. Liam (Sebastien) did a fantastic job at the helm and the others followed his lead,” Sammy said.
“He deserved all the praise he got and the team deserved everything they achieved. They played hard and they earned it. This year we are looking for more of the same – that team unity and that never-say-die attitude. That has been the mantra of our team in the last decade.”
He added: “We have come a long way as a team and as players, but we don’t want to stop here. We want to take it to the next level – by being crowned the winners of the first NAGICO Super50 and taking home the Clive Lloyd Trophy again.”
The Windwards arrived in Trinidad early for two warm-up matches but saw the first against T&T Red Force on Sunday rained out before beating a Trinidad & Tobago Select XI by 53 runs in the second game on Tuesday.
They have been drawn in a tough Zone A alongside Jamaica, Ireland and Guyana, and open the NAGICO Super50 on Thursday against the Jamaicans at Queen’s Park Oval. First ball is 2pm (1pm Jamaica Time).
“This is a big tournament for many players. We have quite a few youngsters who will be looking to put in some big performances and want to move up to the next level. We also have some experienced players who continue to give their all for Windwards cricket and I know they will be switched on from ball one,” Sammy added.
“Whether the pundits call us underdogs, dark horses, defending champs or whatever that won’t really matter when we take the field. We have seven other good teams to take down and we will be looking to do that.”
The NAGICO Super50 tournament will run from January 30 to February 15 and will be broadcast live on ESPN for television viewers and on Caribbean Super Station radio. Matches at Queen’s Park Oval will be day/night fixtures while matches at Shaw Park, Tobago will be day games.
The champions will take home the Clive Lloyd Trophy – named in honour of the legendary captain of the 1975 and 1979 World Cup winning teams.
FULL SQUADS
COMBINED CAMPUSES & COLLEGES: Steven Jacobs (captain), Anthony Alleyne, Ryan Austin, Kyle Corbin, Akeem Dewar, Kavem Hodge, Kyle Mayers, Kristopher Ramsaran, Wayne Morgan, Shacaya Thomas, Raymon Reifer, Chadwick Walton (wicket-keeper), Kesrick Williams, Floyd Reifer (player/coach)
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Dwayne Bravo (captain), Adrian Barath, Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Jason Mohammed, Denesh Ramdin (wicket-keeper), Rayad Emrit, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Imran Khan, Yannick Ottley, Shannon Gabriel, Kevon Cooper; Kelvin Williams (coach)
IRELAND: William Porterfield (captain), Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, John Mooney, Tim Murtagh, Andrew McBrine, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien, Andrew Poynter, Max Sorensen, Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig Young; Phil Simmons (coach).
JAMAICA: David Bernard Jr (captain), Nikita Miller (vice captain), Andre Russell, Carlton Baugh Jr (wicket-keeper), Tamar Lambert, Andrew Richardson, Horace Miller, John Campbell, Jermaine Blackwood, Andre McCarthy, Sheldon Cottrell, Jerome Taylor, Nkrumah Bonner, Kenar Lewis; Junior Bennett (coach)
WINDWARD ISLANDS: Liam Sebastien (captain), Andre Fletcher (vice captain), Johnson Charles (wicket-keeper), Tyron Theophille, Mervin Matthew, Craig Emmanuel, Garey Mathurin, Keddy Lesporis, Devon Smith, Dalton Polius, Delorn Johnson, Kenroy Peters, Romel Currency, Alston Bobb; Ian Allen (coach)
GUYANA: Christopher Barnwell (captain), Shiv Chanderpaul (vice captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Anthony Bramble (wicket-keeper), Robin Bacchus, Trevon Griffith, Leon Johnson, Narsingh Deonarine, Royston Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, Paul Wintz; Esuan Crandon (coach)
BARBADOS: Kevin Stoute (captain), Sulieman Benn, Tino Best, Rashidi Boucher, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Shane Dowrich (wicket-keeper), Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Dwayne Smith, Kenroy Williams; Hendy Springer (coach)
LEEWARD ISLANDS: Kieran Powell (captain), Devon Thomas (vice captain/wicket-keeper), Justin Athanaze, Lionel Baker, Quinton Boatswain, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton, Montcin Hodge, Sylvester Joseph, Anthony Martin, Mali Richards, Gavin Tonge, Hayden Walsh Jr, Kelbert Walters; Ridley Jacobs (coach)
MATCH SCHEDULE
Matches at Queen’s Park Oval – 2pm/1pm Jamaica Time
Matches at Shaw Park – 9am/8am Jamaica Time
January
Thursday, 30th: Windwards vs Jamaica at Queen’s Park Oval
Friday, 31st: Guyana vs Ireland at Queen’s Park Oval
February
Saturday, 1st: Leewards vs CCC at Queen’s Park Oval
Sunday, 2nd: T&T vs Barbados at Queen’s Park Oval
Monday, 3rd: Jamaica vs Ireland at Queen’s Park Oval
Tuesday, 4th: Guyana vs Windwards at Queen’s Park Oval
Wednesday, 5th: Leewards vs T&T at Shaw Park
Thursday, 6th: CCC vs Barbados at Shaw Park
Friday, 7th: Ireland vs Windwards at Queen’s Park Oval
Saturday, 8th: Guyana vs Jamaica at Queen’s Park Oval
Sunday, 9th: CCC vs T&T at Queen’s Park Oval
Monday, 10th: Barbados vs Leewards at Queen’s Park Oval
Wednesday, 12th: Semi-final 1 – Zone A winner vs Zone B second at Queen’s Park Oval
Thursday, 13th: Semi-final 2 – Zone B winner vs Zone A second at Queen’s Park Oval
Saturday 15th: FINAL – Winner of Semi-final 1 vs Winner of Semi-final 2 at Queen’s Park Oval
NOTE: Selected photographs from the match – for editorial use only – will be available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/windiescricket/
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