Story Created:
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:55 PM ECT
Story Updated:
Feb 12, 2013 at 11:55 PM ECT
Trinidad and Tobago coach David Williams is satisfied with his team's preparations for the Regional four-day and Super50 tournaments, especially after their dominating victories over Canada across all three formats of the game last week.
T&T defeated Canada in a three-day encounter, two Twenty20s and a 50-over match last week, and those victories coupled with the performances of the T&T players in those matches would have given Denesh Ramdin's men a big boost of confidence as they leave for St Vincent today, ahead of their opening four-day fixture.
T&T begin the four-day series against the Windward Islands from February 15-18 at Arnos Vale and they start their Super50 campaign against the same opponents at the same venue on February 21.
The four-day tournament started last week. However, T&T were on a bye for the first round of matches.
"Preparations went very well," said Williams. "A number of guys played very good hands so we are hoping they can transfer that kind of form into the real thing and that is going to be the challenge."
Batsmen Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed and Justin Guillen have all been in good form this year.
Guillen scored three consecutive centuries in the T&T trial matches, while Lewis and Mohammed both notched hundreds against Canada in the three-day game last week.
"It is always good for us when you have guys scoring hundreds. You are going into a competition with a certain degree of form and that is important," said Williams.
"From a batting point of view, once you spend time in the middle, working on your concentration and your mental capacity, it augurs well for the young players that did well.
"The good thing is that they got some form from the trial games they played and they will be going into the four-day competition full of confidence so we are just waiting to see how things are going to pan out."
The T&T bowling department will also get a boost of experience with the return of off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth and fast bowler Ravi Rampaul.
Jaggernauth has been out of the T&T squad since 2011, while Rampaul is coming back into the squad after being sidelined with injury which kept him out of T&T's Caribbean Twenty20 campaign in January.
Twenty-nine-year-old Jaggernauth has 250 first class wickets from 64 matches. He represented West Indies in one Test match.
Jaggernauth took a six-wicket haul against Canada in the three-day match last week.
Rampaul has taken 49 Test wickets from 18 matches, and has 173 wickets from 59 first class matches.
Speaking about the return of Jaggernauth, Williams said: "We all know what Amit can do. To get five wickets under your belt gives you that level of confidence that you need. He is bowling pretty well and he is confident in himself and we are hoping that he continues doing well for us. He is an important member of the team and once he continues to show that kind of form then we should be in good stead. All in all we are satisfied with the way things have gone and we just need to continue to work hard and put in the performances."
Williams expects a good test against the Windwards, but backs the experience in the T&T squad to see them through to a win.
"They are always a tough team. It is always a good challenge against the Windwards and if we can get over that hurdle and get the maximum points, we will be in good stead. It is going to be a hard test for us, but we have some experienced guys around."
In addition to Rampaul and Jaggernauth, the T&T squad includes medium pace allrounder Rayad Emrit, leg-spinner Imran Khan and left-arm spinner Kavesh Kantasingh, each with more than 100 first class wickets to his name.
Shannon Gabriel is the other fast bowler in the squad, and he has 67 first class wickets from 25 matches.
The T&T batting also has some experience, with the likes of skipper Ramdin, and openers Lendl Simmons and Adrian Barath, who have all represented West Indies at Test level.
T&T will be without West Indies players Darren and Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine who are in Australia with the regional team.
T&T squad: Denesh Ramdin (captain), Adrian Barath, Justin Guillen, Marlon Barclay, Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Imran Khan, Amit Jaggernauth, Kavesh Kantasingh, Ravi Rampaul, Rayad Emrit, Shannon Gabriel
For the Super 50: Marlon Barclay, Amit Jaggernauth and Kavesh Kantasingh will be replaced by Samuel Badree, Yannick Ottley and Kevon Cooper
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