T and T expecting tougher fight as they prepare to face defending champs Barbados

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC-Trinidad and Tobago are expecting tougher competition as they prepare to take on defending champions Barbados in round four of the Regional Four-Day Tournament this weekend.

Rayad Emrit’s men have won their first two games in the competition–beating the Windward Islands by 186 runs and the Leeward Islands by an innings and 107 runs.

Despite their recent poor record against the Bajans, T and T coach Kelvin Williams is confident his players will deliver this time around.

“I think every match is going to be a challenge from now on and the guys know that,” said Williams.

“Going to Barbados to face Barbados is always a difficult game but I think once we plan well, prepare well and execute, I think there is no problem”.

The last time the two sides met in four-day cricket in the 2013 final at Kensington Oval, Barbados won by an innings and 22 runs.

Before that, the Bajans got the better of T&T at Queen’s Park Oval, winning by ten wickets in the round robin phase of the tournament.

“I don’t want us to go there and get beaten,” said Williams.

“The batsmen have to be mindful of what to expect in Barbados because you know they are going to come at us with the short ball because they think we as Trinidadians can’t play short pitched bowling so we will be preparing for that”.

Trinidad and Tobago are second in the standings with 34 points, one point behind leaders Jamaica.