“West Indies T-20 2011 – Captains, it is time for blast off!”

Jan 09, 2011 Sports

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Colin E. H. Croft
Right!!  The 2010 hang-over is over and the New Year is already old!  As the Bajans say; “Now is de time fuh some fyuh, boh!  Leh we geh some real damn cricket!”  If you were not contented with England v Australia, or India v South Africa, ‘is we time now!’
Starting tomorrow, (Monday), while NASA is prolonging preparations for the final flight of the space shuttle, even debating if it should fly again at all, with glitches and tile cracks fouling up works, West Indies Cricket Board’s T-20 2011 blasts off in full flight.
Last year’s WICB T-20 effort was good, and controversially exciting too, even with the weather intervening here and there, and considering that they had to do things very scantily, cheaply – bits and pieces – and at extremely quick notice.  They did very well!
Replacing R Allan Stanford’s massive money will never ever be easy, even if that money, purportedly, was not his to spend at all; at least, that is what the USA’s FBI and SEC say!
For 2011, at least there seems to be better organization and purpose.  With the Indian Premier League and ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 staring in February, this T-20 competition comes in nicely, even though not many West Indians will feature in the IPL.
The massive irony is that IPL “Big Guns”, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Brian Lara, are away from WICB T-20 2011; now in Australia or soon to be in India.
Gayle, Bravo and Pollard should have input into West Indies efforts in ICC CWC 2011.  We shall see!  Who knows?  Maybe even BL will come back for that too!
Again, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana are making the most noise.  Making the most noise does not necessarily mean that one is making the most sense.  Just check out the Aussies.  Their bark was so much worse than their bite over the last three months!
However, I fully believe that in this 2011 T-20 competition, as each team captain goes, and does, so will their teams progress accordingly.  Team captains are key here.
There are more teams in this competition than last year’s and also, three overseas teams will be involved.  Canada, Somerset and Hampshire Royals will join Combined Campuses and Colleges, Windward Islands, Jamaica, Guyana, Leeward Islands, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago; ten teams vying for this crown; unprecedented.
Both Guyana and T&T had wake-up calls last week when they both played, and were outplayed by a pick-up T&T “A” team.  Yet Guyana’s captain, Ramnaresh Sarwan, and T&T’s skipper, Daren Ganga, are stubbornly suggesting that their team will win.
30 year old Sarwan comes back into Guyana’s fray and he should be fit, fiery, hopefully flashy.  He should also be angry, as he could still be seething at the fact that he was not issued with a WICB retainer contract, even though he is in WI’s 30 for ICC CWC 2011.
Last year’s winning effort was mighty, but all other teams have found out Guyana’s secret weapon of last year – Jonathan Foo.  Guyana has a 50-50 chance to repeat.
Already there are calls, ala Australia’s Ricky Ponting, for Daren G, who will be 32 next week – January 14 – to either get runs or get out, permanently.  Leadership and history do not count.  You either perform or die!
Ganga has been at the head of T&T’s senior team for some time, but of late, his own direct input – runs from the bat – has been negligible.  He needs runs badly to help his team’s cause, as players normally get their confidence from their captains.
Rommel Currency has been named captain of CCC.  At 28, Currency could well be on the money.  He has already played 43 1st class games – many legendary West Indies cricketers have not played that many in the Caribbean – and having played for Windward Islands fairly regularly, his experience, and runs, would be vital.
Windward Islands will be led in a Caribbean competition for the 1st time by the new West Indies captain, 27 year old Darren Sammy.  His role as a player cannot be overstated, as his effervescence, and all round skills, especially his fielding, would be vital.  His leadership will be under close scrutiny, as this would be the 1st time that the critics and supporters would get a chance to reassess his abilities since being made WI captain.
Jamaica made a calculated move in making 34 year old Wavell Hinds captain.  He too is vastly experienced in regional and international cricket, but will have tremendous boots to fill, with Gayle unavailable and the recent successful captain, Tamar Lambert not selected.  Hinds can be destructive as a batsman, but he has also been too sporadic to be convincing.  His knowledge and experience can help his team again go far this series.
37 year old Wilden Cornwall, as captain of Leeward Islands, could be the joker in the captaincy pack.  He really enjoys his cricket and his aggression could be a good factor.  With Corwall having been around West Indies cricket for ages, and with Caribbean 50-over crown now in their hands, jointly with Barbados, I would not be too surprised if Leeward Islands surprise the rest of the teams.  They can win this!
Like Leeward Islands, Barbados is led by another veteran, 29 year old Ryan Hinds.  He has been an enigma for West Indies cricket.  Blessed with keen eyes and good cricket brain, his output has been too average.
With a new lease on life, good recent form, a call-up in West Indies’ 30 for ICC CWC 2011, and that shared 50-over championship, with Leeward Islands, Ryan Hinds and his team are a great factor.  The latter stages will also be played at their home, Kensington Oval, and that should give them a great advantage.  They can be favorites.
For a Canadian, 28 year old Ashish Bagai, has more ODI outings than most – 54.  He has played everywhere internationally, including a couple of World Cups.  Having played for Canada’s Under 19 when only 15, he has come through the ropes to be a veteran of regional and international cricket.  His heritage – he was born in India – and his understated reserve, as the team’s main wicket-keeper, will be a good base here.
Hampshire Royals will be led by 30 year old Jimmy Adams.  This guy is always smiling, but underneath, he is quite tough.  His experiences are vast, with 104 1st Class game, and 53 T-20’s.  A tall left-handed all-rounder, he can be considered the visitors’ answer to Darren Sammy.  This will be great experience for him and his guys.
Somerset will be led by another very experienced county cricket veteran, 26 year old James Hildreth.  He has 110 1st Class games and 73 T-20’s, thus continuing the view that English county cricket is a massive university of cricket.
He is mostly a batsman, averaging 43 in 1st class cricket, but his medium paced deliveries will be useful.
Who wins this competition is an intriguing question.  Forget the monetary prizes and focus on the cricket.  This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase great cricket, the Caribbean, and to enhance reputations.  I expect great cricket!  Enjoy!

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