PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Kieron Pollard’s blinder against Guyana in the Champions League Twenty20 on Thursday has prompted Trinidad and Tobago’s team management to consider promoting him in the order for next month’s regional one-day championship in Jamaica.
The big-hitting right-hander slammed nine sixes and a four in scoring an unbeaten 72 from a mere 30 balls that helped Mumbai Indians to a 31-run victory and kept their hopes alive of reaching the next round.
Pollard has become known for his powerful hitting down the order for Mumbai, T&T and West Indies but was elevated to an unfamiliar number three position on Thursday as Mumbai chased quick runs.
“I think we would consider sending Polly up a bit higher to bat for us in the upcoming regional cricket series in Jamaica,” said national coach Kelvin Williams.
“He has matured a lot as a batsman and I noticed this during the regional T20 cricket series. I think he will do a lot better with getting some more time out there, rather than looking at a few balls and having a go.”
In an astonishing display of power-hitting, the 23-year-old dominated 53-run fourth wicket stand with Ambati Rayudu who scored just four, while propelling Mumbai to 184 for four off their allotted 20 overs.
Guyana, in reply, managed just 153 for six to stumble to their second successive loss of the tournament in South Africa.
The Ramnaresh Sarwan-led side had beaten T&T in the semi-finals of the inaugural Caribbean T20 in July, before defeating Barbados in the final to qualify for the CLT20.
Williams said Pollard’s knock on Thursday had been revenge for T&T’s defeat at the hands of Guyana.
“Polly was just being Polly and he took revenge against Guyana after they knocked us out of the championships in Trinidad,” Williams said.
“He looked really pumped up and wanted to take revenge on them and that he did. (Dwayne) Bravo also played well and the guys really wanted to defeat Guyana.”
Last year, T&T was the first Caribbean side to campaign in the lucrative CLT20, playing unbeaten to reach the final before going down to New South Wales.
