PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will be seeking to repeat as champions while Barbados Pride also chase their second title in three years, when the two teams clash in the final of the Regional Super50 here today.
The hosts will enter what is expected to be a high octane clash at Queen’s Park Oval as favourites, especially after having dropped just one game in the tournament – ironically to Pride – and with the familiarity of conditions and the support of the home crowd behind them.
Last year, they trounced Guyana Jaguars in the final but are bracing for a stiffer challenge from a Pride unit boasting six current West Indies Test players and four others who have played international cricket.
Captain Jason Mohammed said Red Force were under no illusions about the size of the task before them but were full of confidence.
“It is going to be tough one. We know that because they have a very strong team but we are very confident within ourselves,” Mohammed said on the eve of the game. “We’ve played very well throughout the tournament and I can safely say that we are the best team so far in the tournament so it will depend on how we play tomorrow, in terms of what we do first or how we play the entire game.
“Trinidad and Barbados have always had tough games … [we’ve had] a little bit of a rivalry. We want to come back hard tomorrow. We are defending champions and we want to come out there and show why we are defending champions and
defend our title tomorrow.”
Red Force marched to victories in their first five games in Group A before losing their final one to Pride, as they finished on top of the group. They then dismissed Jaguars by 54 runs in Wednesday’s first semi-final to book their place in the final.
While their batting has not taken the tournament by storm, they have had healthy contributions from openers Evin Lewis (196 runs) and Kyle Hope (193) while Kjorn Ottley has chipped in with 179 runs.
West Indies left-hander Darren Bravo has made a huge impact since re-joining the team from international duty, scoring two half-centuries in his two innings.
Mohammed conceded the batting had yet really produced but said a final was enough motivation for players to step up.
“It is always going to come down to confidence. We know that when there’s a final or any cricket game, there’s always tension, always that little bit of nervousness,” he said.
“As cricketers, we have to learn to get past it. It’s the big stage, the biggest stage of the tournament – it’s a final. Yes, we haven’t clicked entirely [in the batting] including myself … but that’s all gone now and what’s important is tomorrow’s game.
“It’s the most important game and I think guys will want to stand up and be counted in the final.”
Despite their form and home advantage, Red Force hold no terrors for Pride, led by inspirational captain Jason Holder.
In fact, Pride beat them by three wickets in the final round five days ago and two years ago, also defeated them at the same venue in the 2014 final.
Holder, one of six Test players joining the team at the halfway stage with Pride in danger of missing the semi-finals, said his side had improved as the tournament had progressed.
“Obviously we’ve been playing good cricket over the last couple days. We were in a must-win situation after the first couple games and it’s a situation where the guys really buckled down and played some very good cricket and executed our plans well,” he said.
He added: “We were here two years ago in this very same position and we beat them then in front of a very packed Queen’s Park Oval so I expect the Trinidad fans to come out and support and not only support them (Red Force) but support good cricket.
“That really energises the whole atmosphere and most of the guys are really pumped up for these types of occasions.”
Pride have been inspired by beanpole left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, who is the tournament’s joint leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets, and opener Kraigg Brathwaite who has returned from Windies duty to bolster the batting with two half-centuries in four outings for a total of 215 runs.
Holder was quick to praise Benn’s contribution, noting that he would be key to Pride’s attack in the final.
“He’s always a go-to man. At this level, Benn is very, very good. He’s a wicket-taker and he’s proven that over a number of years he’s played and he plays cricket tough,” Holder pointed out.
“He’s one of those guys who is always in the game and likes to be in the game and is always making sure everybody is in tune to what they are supposed to be doing but it’s a pleasure playing with him and he’s very good competitor and I like competitors as well.”
Holder, however, was candid about what Pride needed to do most of all, in order to win.
“I think we’ve got to get Bravo out. He’s been in very good form and has been leading with the bat for them. Obviously Denesh is a key guy for them also and Evin Lewis. Once we can get those guys out and put some pressure on those other guys to score, then things can become a lot easier for us once we execute those plans.”
TEAMS:
PRIDE – Jason Holder (captain), Dwayne Smith, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Shamarh Brooks, Shane Dowrich, Carlos Brathwaite, Jomel Warrican, Sulieman Benn, Shai Hope, Ashley Nurse, Miguel Cummins, Kevin Stoute, Roston Chase.
RED FORCE – Jason Mohammed (captain), Evin Lewis, Kyle Hope, Kjorn Ottley, Yannick Ottley, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Narsingh Deonarine, Jon-Russ Jagessar, Akeal Hosein, Marlon Richards, Rayad Emrit, Imran Khan, Steven Katwaroo.
