Emrit tipped to lead Tridents at Champions League
By JOEL BAILEY Friday, September 5 2014
NATIONAL ALL-ROUNDER Rayad Emrit is being tipped to lead the Barbados Tridents in the forthcoming Champions League T20 Tournament in India, in the absence of countryman Kieron Pollard.
The 33-year-old Emrit could be given the mantle as Tridents captain since Pollard will be representing his Indian Premier League (IPL) outfit Mumbai Indians, while other experienced all-rounders Dwayne Smith and Shoaib Malik, who both played instrumental roles in Tridents winning the 2014 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), opting to play for Chennai Super Kings and Hobart Hurricanes of Australia respectively.
The Champions League T20 will take place from September 13 to October 4, with the qualifiers running from September 13-16.
The Tridents are in Group B, alongside the Hurricanes, Kings XI Punjab of India, Cape Cobras of South Africa and one of the two qualifying teams.
During a telephone interview yesterday, Emrit, when asked about the captaincy of the Tridents, would neither confirm or deny if he will be appointed to that role.
“A decision was made,” he said. “I don’t know if it was made public as yet. I know a decision has been made.”
The Tridents began a ten-day camp yesterday, with Emrit expected to join the squad today.
“Hopefully, things will be in place,” he said. “We have a ten-day camp before we leave for India on the 14th.”
Asked where in Barbados will the camp be staged, the long-serving TT all-rounder replied, “it’s a mixture of Kensington Oval, Carlton Ground and another ground. It’s a combination of about three or four grounds.”
With Pollard, Smith and Malik donning other colours in India, Emrit is not fazed by the trio’s decisions.
“They are three important guys who are not playing with us,” he noted. “But, having said that, it’s a good opportunity for the local guys to step up and show what they are worth in an international arena.
“We have three good replacements — (James) Franklyn, (Elton) Chigumbura and (Dilshan) Munaweera. Those guys have international experience so, hopefully, they can bring what they have learnt in an international stage and to our team as well.”
Emrit has played a number of years at the Champions League with the TT Red Force.
Questioned how he’ll be able to cope playing for a new team at the Champions League, Emrit replied, “it’s franchise cricket now. I’m used to it now. I’ll be going to India, not with the Trinidad and Tobago team but as professionals we need to adapt and, hopefully, adapt as quickly as possible.”
Barbados Tridents team — Shane Dowrich, Jeevan Mendis, Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Jonathan Carter, Neil McKenzie, Akeal Hosein, Ravi Rampaul, Rayad Emrit, Raymon Reifer, Kyle Mayers, William Perkins, James Franklin, Elton Chigumbura, Dilshan Munaweera.