Barbados’ team coach Emmerson Trotman and manager Jeff Broomes yesterday promised that Guyana can expect a hard-fought encounter in their four-day West Indies Cricket Board match this week-end.
Trotman said that his charges are “eager and ready to go” but warned them not to be overconfident against Guyana, currently chasing the flock on three points.
Broomes, who is the principal of the Alexandra School in the land of the Flying Fish, said that while he was disappointed with the team letting up at times, he was confident yesterday that they would have learnt from those experiences and would now exert the requisite pressure on the Guyana team.
Broomes pointed out that while a draw was imminent against Trinidad & Tobago in round three in Barbados, his team gave up the positive approach to their game.
However, he believes that it will not be an easy game against Guyana and his team will be ready because at the end of the day the two teams will be looking to secure bragging rights.
“As long as I can remember there were never easy games between the two countries and I know Guyana will not lie down and play dead but Barbados will be looking to seize the initiative early in the game,” Broomes said.
When Stabroek Sport caught up with Trotman yesterday at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) where the visitors conducted their first practice session, he reiterated that his team has learnt its lesson after early lapses and said they were now looking forward to winning the tournament.
He said that the country has not lifted the trophy for some time and therefore the players were told that when they have games in control they must go for the win.
“We got to learn to win. We have not won the tournament for some time now and we have to get ourselves in those positions to win the game and not play too defensive or sit back. Just be confident,” Trotman reasoned.
Meanwhile, when Stabroek Sport enquired about the three West Indies under-19 players who were named in the team Trotman and Broomes indicated that they were good cricketers and there is hope that they will add their own touch to the teams.
Jason Holder, Shane Dowrich and Kraigg Brathwaite were named in the 13-man squad for the next two rounds following successful performances in New Zealand as members of the West Indies U-19 Youth World Cup team.
Brathwaite was one of the leading batsmen in the competition where he scored 335 runs with four half-centuries while Dowrich finished with 229 runs, an average of 45. The tall seamer Holder, who was among the leading wicket-takers in the tournament, claimed 12 wickets at an average of 17.75.
Broomes believes that it was a bold move by the selectors to choose the talented trio for this level of cricket. He said that they are quality players and it would be good to expose them to this level of competition.
Trotman said that they are young but they are good cricketers and they will bring some strength to the side. He also believes that it is a good initiative to groom young cricketers and that the time is right for the players to make their mark at this level.
Meanwhile, at the DCC ground also many were questioning the non-selection of West Indies under-19 opening batsman Trevon Griffith, including manager Broomes. Many felt that Griffith, who scored 84 in the opening match of the Youth World Cup, should have joined his teammate fast bowler Keon Joseph in the Guyana 16-man squad currently training in Berbice for the match which starts tomorrow.
