2020 CPL Thread

[Flex]

TKR keeps core players including Simmons
by Vinode Mamchan (Guardian).

Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) have decided to keep the core of their team for this year's Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 (T20) cricket tournament, should it come off. The tournament is carded to begin August 19 with a clash between TKR and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at the Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

Recently, Chief Operations Officer (C00) of CPL Pete Russell stated that with the COVID-19 pandemic going on, the start is not confirmed but they are hoping to get the tournament off as soon as they get the all-clear from Cricket West Indies (CWI).

He said that CPL will be working with the board to get a window for the tournament, hoping that it does not clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL). He added that if the tournament does not start in August, it can start in September, if not it can be played in December.

Meanwhile, a source from India where the team owners are based revealed to Guardian Media Sports on Tuesday that the Knight Riders brand will be sticking with the core of the players who participated in the team at the 2019 tournament.

"We are going to keep the usual suspects around, which means that in addition to Dwayne Bravo, we will retain 2019 captain Kieron Pollard. We are going to stick with the likes of Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, and Darren Bravo."

Pollard played for the TKR for the first time last year and he replaced injured skipper Dwayne Bravo. All-rounder Bravo got a hand injury just days before the tournament that ruled him out completely. The TKR, the most successful franchise in the history of the CPL with three titles, got knocked out in the semi-finals of the 2019 tournament by eventual champions Barbados Tridents.  

Russell said that it is very possible that the CPL may be played this year without foreign players. Our source was non-committal on this saying: "At this point in time the owners have been kept abreast of all developments but it is still early days. We have heard of this move but we cannot really comment on that at the moment. We need to play out this situation and see how best we can have a tournament staged." (VM)

[Flex]

CPL deal looks solid
by Vinode Mamchan (Guardian).

More than likely, the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), will be played entirely in T&T as the government and CPL officials are very close to signing off the deal.

Guardian Media Sports understand from someone close to the discussions on Monday that most boxes have been ticked and it seems like the Twenty20 (T20) competition expected to start on August 19 in T&T, is a go.

The CPL is proposing double-headers for one week at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in Tarouba, San Fernando and the next week, the same number of matches at the Queen's Park Oval in St Clair, Port-of-Spain and then back to BLCA until the 33 matches are completed. The final of the tournament was always carded for T&T, as has been the case for the last two editions.

The organisers are proposing to create a bio-secure environment at the Hilton Trinidad for players and officials and all protocols concerning the COVID-19 regulations are expected to be met.

With the Caribbean not badly affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the tournament may well contain only regional players and no internationals. Also, no spectators will be allowed in the stands as the matches will be played behind closed doors.

Originally, CPL organisers hinted that they may have played the tournament in two or three countries. There has been a change of heart and T&T has now been given the opportunity to take the entire tournament.

Up to Friday, there were just some minor details to be worked out and Guardian Media Sports understand that this has been done and an announcement is expected by Friday of this week.

Trinidad has dealt with the virus situation brilliantly and has the capability of staging the entire tournament with the two World-class venues. In addition to being an economic shot in the arm for T&T, the owners of the tournament also stand to get financial ease, by hosting the tournament in just one country.

The logistics of hosting the tournament among six Caribbean countries have been testing since the inception of the tournament in 2013.

It is understood that the government has welcomed the proposal and a lot of hard work has been going on behind the scenes to get the tournament on.

Once it comes off the massive viewership that is expected due to the fact that it will be the first T20 franchise tournament to be played since COVID-19 took over the globe, will work to T&T's advantage.

CPL is expected to announce the date for the draft once they get the go-ahead that the tournament is taking place. So far all six franchise teams have announced their Caribbean retentions.

[Deeks]

Well, well Brian Lara stadium to the rescue. Glad it was completed.

[Flex]

Borde: TKR ready to be CPL champs again
JONATHAN RAMNANANSINGH (NEWSDAY).

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) manager Colin Borde anticipates an exciting Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draft, which gets underway on Wednesday – virtually, owing to the global pandemic.

The local franchise has already retained nine players from last year’s tournament and signed one new player ahead of the draft.

Borde believes striking the right player-balance is key to returning the coveted CPL trophy to the arms of the TKR faithful.

“There is always great anticipation around the CPL draft.

“We would normally have a few plans. We need to work out possible scenarios and with a bit of luck, we’ll get the balance that we want. Everyone wants to play. It’s been a few months for them all. They are raring to go. We are here to be champions again. We want it,” said the TKR manager.

In early May, TKR retained former captain Dwayne Bravo, who missed the entire 2019 CPL because of a finger injury, and Kieron Pollard, who served as skipper in Bravo’s absence. Other players retained were Sunil Narine, Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Amir Jangoo, Tion Webster and Akeal Hosein.

Pacer Jayden Seales has also been signed by the local franchise. Seales and Jangoo both serve as TKR’s emerging players.

Two-time CPL winner with TKR and experienced wicketkeeper/batsman Denesh Ramdin was not retained by the franchise. Ramdin spent the last four years representing TKR but will play for the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at this year’s edition.

Once the TT government gives permission to host the competition locally, there is a high possibility matches will be played behind closed doors owing to the restrictions on gatherings. Even since the phased reopening, it is still unclear whether patrons will be allowed to view matches live.

With the tourney approximately six weeks away, the possibility of matches being played at empty stadiums still hangs in the balance.

Although Borde admits safety remains top priority, the spectators would be dearly missed.

“We will abide by the rules and be safe but certainly there is no substitute for the passion and energy that crowds bring. “

[Flex]

Seifert replaces Ramdin at TKR
By Vinode Mamchan (Guardian).

New Zealand wicketkeeper/batsman Tim Seifert has been chosen as the replacement player for Denesh Ramdin who was not retained by the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) for the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Guardian Media Sports understands on Friday that Seifert was picked up in the draft that was held on Wednesday. The player nicknamed The Flinstones is a ball beater and one who has been compared to a young Brendan McCullum, who is the TKR coach.

The youngster on T20 international debut ran down the pitch and clobbered Indian pacer Buvneshwar Kumar for six. In facing only his third ball he crashed it down the ground for another boundary. He counted 84 on debut against the Indians and this only required 43 balls.

Seifert's news comes on the heels of news that Indian Premier League (IPL) player Praveen Tambe will also feature for the TKR this year.

The tournament is yet to be given the green light by the government of T&T but sources close to the situation say it is just a matter of time before it is approved. CPL has given a proposal to the government which includes 33 matches in this country and the games to be split between Brian Lara Cricket Academy and the Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. They are also looking to create a bio-secure environment at the Hilton Trinidad for all teams and officials.

The latest checks by Guardian Media Sports are that cabinet is yet to receive the note to approve as work in being done in conjunction with the Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram on the protocols needed for such a situation.

With CPL allowing teams to choose their foreign players, it means that players will be coming from all parts of the world. Areas that are considered Covis-19 hotspots and others that have dealt with the dreaded virus well.

T&T has dealt well with the Covid-19 pandemic with only 123 cases and eight deaths. Community spread is not evident and this makes this the twin-island Republic safe at this point.

The CPL is expected to be played from August 16 to September 10.

[Flex]

India's Tambe set to play for TKR
By Vinode Mamchan (Guardian).

In a historic move, there will be Indian flavour for the first time in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as leg-spinner Pravin Tambe at the age of 48 is set to play for the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the 2020 edition.

With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) not allowing any of their players to play in franchise tournaments outside the Indian Premier League (IPL) Tambe's inclusion in the CPL has created a lot of attention.

Guardian Media Sports understands that Tambe was picked up in the draft on Wednesday by the TKR management. Tambe a late bloomer was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL) but was denied the chance to be associated with the team as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) disqualified him.

According to the Cricket Times, the reason for Tambe’s disqualification was his involvement in T10 League – a ten-over format tournament in the United Arab Emirates launched and owned by T Ten Sports Management. As per the rules of the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI), a player can only participate in the overseas league after his retirement, and Tambe did retire in 2018 by informing his state board Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). Therefore, he was legally ready to participate in the T10 League. However, after the conclusion of the 10-overs competition, Tambe came back and withdrew his decision.

The IPL chairman Brijesh Patel informed the franchise KKR about the decision regarding Tambe.

However, this year he then joined another 536 players who threw their hat into the ring at the CPL 2020 draft and was successful. The leg-spinner never even played for his City before he was plucked out of obscurity by the Rajasthan Royals in 2013. He was 41 years at the time and very prolific in T20 and T10 tournaments. He switched from medium pace to leg-spin and this changed the fortunes of the career.

After making a great IPL debut in 2013, the club cricketer Tambe went on to become the leading wicket-taker in the Champions League T20 later in the year. He picked up 12 wickets in the tournament at an average of 6.5. His performances that year earned him his maiden call-up for the Mumbai team in the 2013–14 Ranji Trophy.

In the 2014 IPL season, Tambe picked up a brilliant hat-trick against Kolkata Knight Riders. Ever since he was on the KKR radar and when picked up by the franchise he was denied permission to play by the BCCI.

In 33 IPL matches, he has taken 28 wickets at an average of 30.46 and an economy rate of 7.75.

At 48, Tambe became the oldest player to be bought at the IPL auction when KKR snapped him up for a base price of US$27,000. Tambe has already featured in the tournament, with a total of 33 appearances over four seasons (2013 to 2016) for three different franchises - Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Lions, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He has a tally of 28 wickets, 15 of which he picked in the 2014 season while turning out for Rajasthan Royals.

Tambe follows former Test player Yuvraj Singh as the second Indian player to play in T20 leagues outside the country. Yuvraj played in the Global T20 tournament last year in Canada.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who hasn't played for India since 2016 but is yet to retire, has his name in The Hundred draft in England, however, just before the draft, he took his name off the list in favour of continuing to play for CSK in the IPL.

The Pakistani-born American player Muhammad Ali Khan has also been snapped by at the draft and will return to the TKR for his third season. The fast bowler who has won the hearts of the people in Trinidad will be keen to get play again, as all the matches are carded for this country.

The CPL is scheduled to be held between August 18 and September 10 behind closed doors in T&T. On Thursday, the Cabinet was due to consider note and final approval is expected to come shortly.

[Flex]

TKR to ramp up CPL preparations
JELANI BECKLES (NEWSDAY).

MANAGER of the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) Colin Borde said the local players will ramp up their preparations for the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as the Government starts to relax covid19 measures.

Last Monday, contact sports and team sports were allowed to resume following an announcement by the Prime Minister at a covid19 media conference on June 20.

It was uncertain if the CPL would be held because of the virus, but the Government and CPL officials are in the process of making final arrangements to hold the entire tournament in Trinidad from August 18 to September 10.

It would be the first time the entire tournament would be held in one country.

"The players have been working with programmes throughout the covid period. The month of July will see the group come together and begin outdoor training at both Tarouba (Brian Lara Cricket Academy) and Queen's Park Cricket Club (Queen's Park Oval)."

Borde also said plans are in place for players to participate in a few outdoor matches to prepare.

"Match fitness can only be attained through playing and so we are working in the return to play phase. The coaches have decided a schedule alongside some senior players and the expectation is that July we will see a ramp up of activities with the local players."

TKR retained nine TT players for the tournament including Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Akeal Hosein, Amir Jangoo and Tion Webster. The local franchise also signed TT and West Indies Under-19 fast bowler Jayden Seales.

In terms of the overseas TKR players, Borde said, "Those out of the country have their respective programmes and plans to reach certain set targets."

Despite Government giving the green light to resume team sports, covid19 guidelines must be followed such as maintaining physical distancing.

Borde said the TKR staff would ensure the players gradually get back into a more intense training programme. "It is important to be mindful of the ease into the various phases. The coaches, technical staff, medical staff, alongside the senior players are working with all components in mind."

[Flex]

CPL to fill-in the blanks
by Vinode Mamchan (Guardian).

The cabinet of the government of T&T has not signed off on the CPL tournament being played in this country as yet and has asked further questions of the owners of the tournament.

It was expected that the cabinet would have signed off on the tournament on Thursday but this did not happen as there were further questions asked.

A source close to the situation told Guardian Media Sports that the initial document sent to the cabinet was rushed and as such some areas needed clarification and others guarantee.

The CPL team will now look to quickly re-submit their proposal for the cabinet to sit on yet again.

Time is of the essence at the moment because all have to be sign off in time for CPL to have their officials and all foreign players in the country in early August for the proposed August 18 start. They would require to go through a period of quarantine before the tournament gets going.

At the moment plans are going on by the LOC is preparation for the tournament and both venues the Queen's Park Oval and the Brian Lara Stadium are in a state of readiness. There have been some practice matches held at the BLCA to give the pitch some work ahead of the tournament.

The LOC met yesterday to continue talks concerning their preparation for the tournament. They were supposed to have met on Tuesday but protests in Port-of-Spain prevented that and instead, they met on Thursday.

With the Caribbean not badly affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there was always the chance that the CPL will be played.

Originally CPL hinted that they may have played the tournament in two or three countries. There has been a change of heart and T&T has now been allowed to take the entire tournament.

Prime Minister Dr Rowley and the cabinet will have to decide whether it is safe to open the borders in time for the tournament and how will they treat with players coming from across the region into this country? The opening of the borders was listed as last on the agenda by the government.

The government will also have to weigh the fact that staging the entire CPL in T&T will be an economic boost to the country, especially in this trying financial times.

[Flex]

Ahmed returns to TKR for 2020 CPL
YOHANCE SIMONETTE (NEWSDAY).

FAWAD AHMED, the Pakistani-born Australian leg-spinner, will return to the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which is expected to take place in T&T from August 18 to September 10, subject to approval from Government.

The CPL draft show was held virtually on June 24 and aired on the CPL’s Facebook page on Monday, where the six squads (TKR, defending champs Barbados Tridents, St Kitts/Nevis Patriots, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs and St Lucia Zouks) were revealed.

The 38-year-old Ahmed, who played for the Zouks in the 2019 edition, took a tournament-leading 22 wickets in 2018 for the victorious TKR outfit.

TKR manager Colin Borde said, on Monday, “He is and will be an asset to any team. His vast experience in playing in so many different conditions, and his off-field influence is always welcome in our group.

“We are ecstatic to have his services again,” Borde added.

Ahmed was signed by the TKR for this year’s episode, along with T&T and West Indies Under-19 fast bowler Jayden Seales, and New Zealand wicket-keeper Tim Seifert.

Another veteran leg-spinner, 48-year-old Pravin Tambe, will become the first Indian player to feature in the CPL. He was one of three players drafted by the TKR, along with T&T pacer Anderson Phillip, who represented TKR in 2018 and 2019, and Pakistani-born Zimbabwean batsman Sikandar Raza.

Commenting on the other new overseas faces on the TKR team (Seifert, Tambe and Raza), Borde said, “Each of the three players bring something different to the team. We always keep a core of players but freshen up with a few new players.

“We have, in Tambe, loads of experience (while) both Seifert and Raza (are) explosive players.”

Eleven players were retained by the TKR – the Bravo brothers Dwayne and Darren, WI T20 captain Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Amir Jangoo, Tion Webster, Akeal Hosein, New Zealand’s Colin Munro and Pakistan-born US fast bowler Ali Khan.

Borde said the team is “very balanced...(it is) a team for all conditions that has local knowledge of the conditions that may be presented.”

The TKR manager said the team’s preparations will begin in mid-July “once there is the official go-ahead.”

“The players have already been working on their personal fitness levels for several weeks now and we feel confident that the support staff will bring all the components together to achieve match readiness.”

From the 2019 TKR team, wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin will feature for the Patriots, while all-rounder Mark Deyal was drafted by the Zouks. Pakistan’s Mohammad Hasnain, New Zealand’s Jimmy Neesham and Sri Lanka’s Seekkuge Prasanna were not chosen by any of the six CPL teams.

Other T&T players who will be involved in the 2020 CPL are Rayad Emrit, Joshua Da Silva, Evin Lewis, Jon Russ Jagessar (Patriots) and Nicholas Pooran (Amazon Warriors).

Squads (players’ countries in brackets) –

TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS: Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales, Amir Jangoo, Tion Webster, Akeal Hosein (WI); Colin Munro, Tim Seifert (New Zealand); Fawad Ahmed (Pakistan); Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe); Pravin Tambe (India), Ali Khan (US).

BARBADOS TRIDENTS: Jason Holder, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Hayden Walsh, Ashley Nurse, Jonathan Carter, Raymon Reifer, Kyle Mayers, Joshua Bishop, Nyeem Young, Justin Greaves (WI); Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan); Marcus Stoinis (Australia); Harry Gurney, Alex Hales (England); Shayan Jahangir (Pakistan).

GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS: Nicholas Pooran, Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Kevin Sinclair, Ashmead Nedd, Odean Smith, Anthony Bramble (WI); Imran Tahir (South Africa); Ross Taylor (New Zealand); Chris Green (Australia); Qais Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq (Afghanistan); Jasdeep Singh (US).

ST KITTS/NEVIS PATRIOTS: Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Sheldon Cottrell, Denesh Ramdin, Rayad Emrit, Dennis Bulli, Alzarri Joseph, Joshua Da Silva, Dominic Drakes, Jon Russ Jagessar, Colin Archibald (WI); Chris Lynn, Ben Dunk (Australia); Sunny Sohal (US); Rassie Van Der Dussen (South Africa); Sohail Tanvir (Pakistan); Ish Sodhi (New Zealand).

JAMAICA TALLAWAHS: Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Rovman Powell, Chadwick Walton, Oshane Thomas, Fidel Edwards, Preston McSween, Andre McCarthy, Nicholas Kirton, Jeavor Royal, Nkrumah Bonner, Veerasammy Permaul (WI); Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal); Tabraiz Shamsi (South Africa); Asif Ali (Pakistan); Glenn Phillips (New Zealand); Ryan Persaud (US).

ST LUCIA ZOUKS: Darren Sammy, Andre Fletcher, Kesrick Williams, Chemar Holder, Obed McCoy, Rahkeem Cornwall, Mark Deyal, Kimani Melius, Leniko Boucher, Kavem Hodge, Javelle Glen (WI); Rilee Rossouw, Colin Ingram, Anrich Nortje (South Africa); Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad (Afghanistan); Saad Bin Zafar (Canada).

[Flex]

T&T hosts CPL alone, no fans at grounds
Casandra Thompson-Forbes & Vinode Mamchan
T&T Guardian.

Caribbean Premier League stakeholders will have to adhere to strict COVID-19 guidelines during the 2020 edition of the event here in Trinidad and Tobago next month, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe said yesterday.

One of the big casualties of this will be that there will be no fans in the stands for the duration of the tournament, which will run from August 18 to September 12, 2020.

Cudjoe gave the details of T&T accepting the responsibility to host the entire event at a news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in Scarborough, Tobago.

She said a contingent of over 251 people, including the players, staff and other officials attached to the six CPL teams—the Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, St Lucia Zouks and the Trinbago Knight Riders—will come into T&T for the series and will be quarantined at the Hilton Trinidad in Port-of-Spain and must adhere to strict COVID protocols

“They would be doing their quarantine period there and they would be tested before leaving home (countries) to ensure they are negative, tested when they get here to Trinidad and Tobago and going to quarantine, tested on their seventh day and tested again on their fourteenth day. This is the first time we are hosting this type of sporting activity under COVID regulations and under this COVID situation,” Cudjoe said.

She said the Government reached an agreement with the CPL where they will host the tournament to the tune of US$1 million, broken down into US$500 in cash and US$500 in kind.

See Opposition Leader's response

She said in keeping with the new normal, spectators will not be allowed at the games.

“We have arranged that viewers or spectators would not be allowed to go sit and watch CPL. Of course, it would have to be recorded and live broadcasted and so on, so we are happy to partner with CPL once again. I think that this opportunity presents a tremendous opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago to market Trinidad and Tobago as a tourism destination,” she said.

She added, “We have to take all precautions and hence there will be no spectators at the ground. So you would not be able to wear your team jersey and wave your flag at the venue but all these nice things can be done at home.

The matches will be broadcasted live as CNC3 television has exclusive rights.

“We will continue to monitor the situation concerning COVID-19 and to be on top of it, as it is a rolling situation and requires different rules and regulations as time goes on. Once we bring off this tournament successfully and I am sure we will, then it will be a lesson for us in hosting other games.”

CNC3 has the exclusive rights locally for the tournament.

Cudjoe said no other guests will be accommodated at the Hilton Trinidad while the teams are there.

She said there are economic benefits to be derived, as COVID-19 has put a damper on the norm of island-hopping for matches. She said the previous agreement T&T had with the CPL included seven games, the semifinals and the finals but this year the entire tournament will be here.

“It (T&T) is the only destination for CPL this year, so whilst we would have had the players and staff and the tourists here for seven days in the past, this year they are going to be here for a minimum of 41 days and we are pleased to have them here and to enjoy the economic benefits that are going to come from the economic activity that this sports tourism event is going to generate,” she said.

“The benefits that will come to us from this investment will be getting an opportunity to market the destination. So those involved in the tourism sector must get ready to sell, sell, sell. We must sell T&T as a sports tourism destination, as well as a tourism destination as a whole and this provides that opportunity.”

Commenting on the prospect of empty stands for a tournament hosted at home, TKR manager Colin Borde said the crowd will be missed.

“The 12th man (crowd) has always been one of the key components for us and we are hoping that along the way, probably if towards the end, we are still there that doors may open,” Borde told the T&t Guardian.

“We will stay within the rules of Government and CPL. Regarding the energy and passion of the crowd, it will be missed. We will just have to dig deep and let our passion and drive take us far in the tournament.”

Guyana Amazon Warriors manager Omar Khan also said it will be a strange experience without fans but he was happy it was at least still coming off.

“It is good news. We have been waiting for a while now and I am glad that it has been all approved now,” Khan said.

“It is going to be a tournament of a difference, the first time we are experiencing this kind of tournament in the Caribbean. It will be quite a different atmosphere. Caribbean people are fun-loving, they like to entertain and party. However, knowing Caribbean fans, I am sure they will be planning limes home by their houses to watch the game.”

On the impact it will have on the local TKR team, Khan said: “It will impact all the teams not having fans, the home team will miss their home support. All players will need to adjust, it is just exciting to know that we will have live cricket again.”

[Flex]

Mysore: TKR finances will take a hit
By Vinode Mamchan (Guardian).

Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) boss Venky Mysore says that the franchise will take a bit of a financial hit for this year's Caribbean Premier League (CPL) because of the fact that there will be no spectators allowed at matches and the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The chief executive officer of Red Chillies Entertainment, the owners of the franchise, said: "We are really excited that Trinidad is hosting CPL 2020 in its entirety. The TKR fans are in for a treat and we look forward to the wholehearted support TKR always gets from the fans of Trinbago.

"It’s only fitting that a cricket-loving country like Trinbago will witness the very first T20 (Twenty20) tournament in the world since the onset of the pandemic.”

Asked how the franchise views the fact that there will be no spectators allowed into the ground, Mysore said: "Needless to say, without crowds in the stadiums the revenues take a big hit. In addition, businesses have suffered and that will reflect in lower sponsorship revenue as well. Going in, we realised that TKR will incur significant losses but there is a strong desire for us to see cricket take centre stage again in Trinbago.

"Our players have also taken cuts in their fees to make this season happen. So the collective objective was to find ways of staging the tournament despite financial losses.

"The easiest thing would have been to say, let’s skip this year and restart in 2021 but we are delighted that all stakeholders have stepped up to make it happen. I am confident that the huge fan base of TKR across the world will enjoy cricket again."

On Thursday, Minister of Sport Shamfa Cudjoe announced that the government of T&T has given approval for CPL to stage the entire tournament in this country. She said that agreement has been reached where they will host the tournament to the tune of US$1M which will be broken down into US$500 in cash and US$500 in kind.

She was quick to add that all COVID-19 protocols will be observed and hence there are to be no spectators at the venue. The players will be tested on arrival and will then go into self-quarantine at the Hilton Hotel. After seven days, they will be tested again and once they test negative, they will be put into small groups to train for the tournament that is carded to get off from August 18 to September 12. After 14 days, they will receive their final test and once all is well, they can then join the rest of their respective team to train for the start of the tournament.

The Hilton Hotel will have no other guests while the CPL is here. Some 251 guests will arrive at the Hilton and will stay there for 41 days.

[Flex]

CPL keeps its distance
By JULIEN NEAVES and JOEL BAILEY
T&T Newsday

THE Prime Minister said someone impersonating Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Roshan Parasram has written to the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) after an agreement had been made between the Government and the sporting organisation.

He was speaking Monday at a media briefing held at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.

“Would you believe that after the Cabinet agree to the terms and conditions under which the CPL would be allowed...some person here in T&T appears to have impersonated the CMO’s office and have sent to the CPL contrary information causing this whole matter to now be questioned as to whether or not the CPL would be held in T&T.”

Dr Rowley said Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe had to now talk with the CPL and confirm the Government’s position regarding the information provided purportedly from the CMO’s office.

“There are people in this country who are prepared to undermine the national effort so that the country would fail so that they may succeed in their ambition and their agendas.” Asked by the media if there was an investigation about the fake information, Rowley said he could only confirm it did not come from the CMO and he could say no more.

Public Relations Head of the CPL Peter Miller, said on Monday, “I don’t think CPL needs to get involved in that. I’m not privy to the ins and outs of the discussions. It’s not something that we need to be commenting on.”

Miller mentioned that the CPL’s primary focus is to ensure that everything is in place for the event, which will take place, behind closed doors, from August 18 to September 10 at two venues – Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair and Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

“We’re very much in the process of getting everything sorted,” Miller said. “There is a lot more still to do. The CPL is working very hard to get the tournament under way.

“We’re doing so as hard as we can,” Miller added. “We might look like calm swans on the surface but there is a lot of paddling to get things ready. Our preparations are moving along quite nicely.”

Asked about the projected overall revenue, Rowley said that would come later on.

He said there had been people complaining about T&T hosting the CPL and repatriation of citizens outside the closed borders but the two things were not mutually exclusive. He explained that Government has a policy of lives and livelihood and this country hosting CPL was about livelihood and it would not negatively impact life and death situation in T&T.

He said with the virtual closure of the economy as part of covid19 preventative measures, Government urged the private sector, as far as possible, not to send home workers or cut payrolls and many did that. He added that in that same spirit during the closure Government paid more than $12 million per month, to keep 1,000 staff at the State’s three hotels: Hilton, Hyatt and Magdalena Grand. He reported that Government paid $8 million a month for the 400 workers at Hyatt, $2.6 million a month for the 350-400 workers at Hilton, and $1.3 million a month for the 250 workers at Magdalena.

Rowley said T&T was now sufficiently healthy and safe and with low enough risk that T&T could host an international tournament, the CPL T20.

“We are the only country in the world at this time that can do that.”

He said the reason for that is because T&T was rated number one in the world; he was likely referring to an Oxford University covid19 Government Response Tracker which listed this country as number one out of 152 countries in terms of preparedness to lift covid19 lockdown measures.

“Those who made the assessment had rated us number one in the world as the country that best handled this threat and this challenge. And the results are there to show. And, therefore, we can host the CPL when they approached us. It has nothing to do with bringing in CPL players and leaving citizens outside of T&T. Because whether the CPL had come to us or not, the 200 rooms at the Hilton would not have been used for covid quarantine. As a matter of livelihood we could not.”

He said Government hotels were kept, as part of the country’s livelihood, away from quarantine arrangements so the infrastructure could be used “to rekindle our livelihood.”

He explained that Hilton rooms were available to 250 paying people, at their expense, and would help to reduce the country’s economic burden of $2.6 million per month for “doing nothing” but from August 18 – September 10 the hotel would do normal business.

“Some people have a problem with that. And some of them you know them by name, rank and political number.”

He was likely referring to complaints from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar that the country was bringing in CPL players while citizens were stranded abroad with the closed borders.

[Flex]

TKR opens CPL bid against Warriors
By Vinode Mamchan (Guardian).

Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) will open this year's Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign against the Guyana Amazon Warriors on August 18 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in Tarouba, San Fernando.

The tournament which runs from August 18 to September 10 will take place at two venues alone for the first time, the BLCA and the Queen's Park Oval in St Clair, Port-of-Spain.

The 33-match season will see 23 of those matches taking place at the BLCA and 10 at the Oval.

The first match will see last year’s runners-up, Guyana Amazon Warriors, take on Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR), while the second match will be last year’s champions, Barbados Tridents taking on the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.

TKR manager Colin Borde is eager for the battle to start, saying: "Yes we are keen for the cricket to start. We open against the Warriors and we will be ready for that. Our players are professionals and they have been doing their own thing in terms of preparing for the tournament and when they get together they will polish off their preparations for this tournament. Guyana has always been tough and we will be looking to pull an early victory over them to set the tone for the tournament."

Manager of the Warriors, Omar Khan said: "It is always a tough ask when you come up against the TKR. The history of the tournament shows that it is always a fierce battle between the two and we are going into that battle fully aware of that. We all know that it is a tournament with a difference this year as it will be more than just being physically ready but also mentally given the current situation concerning the COVID-19 but we are ready. All our players will be here by August 3.

Fans will have to wait until game 22 for a repeat of last year’s final with the Tridents taking on the Amazon Warriors.

The tournament will take place behind closed doors in a bio-secure environment with a series of stringent protocols in place to protect those involved in the competition and the wider population, from the spread the COVID-19 virus.

Damien O’Donohoe, the Hero CPL’s chief executive officer, is excited about the upcoming season.

“This year will be a different CPL, but the standard will be higher than ever. We have seen the appetite for live sport since it has returned after a prolonged absence, and the interest in CPL will be higher than ever with it being the first franchise T20 tournament to return.”

Speaking about the announcement of the tournament fixtures Hero CPL’s COO, Pete Russell, said: “We would like to express our gratitude to the government of T&T for helping us to put on this tournament in such difficult circumstances. We are delighted that we are able to deliver a tournament that is ensuring the safety of the public and the players and that will be of such a high standard.”

Hero CPL 2020 Fixtures

BLCA

August 18

Trinbago Knight Riders vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, 10 am

Barbados Tridents vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, 5.30pm

August 19

Jamaica Tallawahs vs St Lucia Zouks, 10 am

Guyana Amazon Warriors v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, 5.30pm

Aug 20

St Lucia Zouks v Barbados Tridents, 10 am

Trinbago Knight Riders v Jamaica Tallawahs, 5:.30pm

Aug 22

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots v St Lucia Zouks, 10 am

Guyana Amazon Warriors v Jamaica Tallawahs, 5.30pm

Aug 23

Trinbago Knight Riders v Barbados Tridents, 10 am

Aug 24

Guyana Amazon Warriors v St Lucia Zouks, 5.30 pm

Queen’s Park Oval

Aug 25

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Barbados Tridents, 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, 5.30 pm

Aug 26

St Lucia Zouks vs Trinbago Knight Riders, 10 am

Barbados Tridents vs Jamaica Tallawahs, 5.30 pm

Aug 27

St Lucia Zouks vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, 10 am

Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Trinbago Knight Riders, 5.30 pm

Aug 29

Barbados Tridents vs Trinbago Knight Riders, 10 am

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots vs Jamaica Tallawahs, 5.30pm

Aug 30

Barbados Tridents vs St Lucia Zouks, 10 am

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, 5.30 pm

BLCA

September 1

Jamaica Tallawahs vs Trinbago Knight Riders, 10 am

Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Barbados Tridents, 5.30 pm

Sept 2

Trinbago Knight Riders vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, 10 am

St Lucia Zouks vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, 5.30 pm

Sept 3

Jamaica Tallawahs v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, 10 am

Barbados Tridents v Guyana Amazon Warriors, 5.30 pm

Sept 5

Trinbago Knight Riders v St Lucia Zouks, 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs vs Barbados Tridents, 5.30 pm

Sept 6

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Trinbago Knight Riders, 10 am

St Lucia Zouks v Jamaica Tallawahs, 5.30pm

Sept 8, TBC

Semi final 1 (1st v 4th)

Semi final 2 (2nd vs 3rd)

Sept 10, TBC

Final

[Flex]

CoP chairs CPL security meeting.
T&T Guardian Reports.

Commissioner of Police (CoP) Gary Griffith chaired a security meeting of all stakeholders involved in the 2020 edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament which bowls off on August 18 in T&T. The entire competition will be played here and it ends on September 10.

Saturday's meeting was held at the Trinidad Hilton Hotel, where all six teams will be housed and which will be used as the tournament Bubble.

Among the stakeholders at the meeting were the Ministry of Health, Heads of Police Divisions, Port-of-Spain and Southern, the T&T Defence Force, the general manager of the Hilton and his security personnel, and CPL security coordinators.

This meeting is on the heels of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announcement on Friday in which he assured the general public that the CPL will not affect T&T.


"The CPL games are quite different, that's a bubble," Prime Minister Rowley said at the Ministry of Health news press conference on Friday at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's. "Everything that will go on around the CPL will go on in a bubble that does not interact with the local population.

"They will come into the country under the protocols of entry, all having tested negative before. When they come here they are confined to the Hilton Hotel and that becomes a bubble for them. Then they will go to a venue to play the game where they will not interact with the population and so the CPL is a bubble that has nothing to do with what goes on in the country."

CoP Griffith is advising the public that all measures are being put in place to ensure the health and safety of all local and international players.

In a news release yesterday, Griffith stated: "All teams will have to undergo a quarantine period of 14 days during which they will be monitored and tested by officials of the Ministry of Health. All teams will be staying under quarantine at the Hilton."

Commissioner Griffith said, "That all teams will be kept in sanitized zones which are termed "bubbles". He points out that fans and family members will not be allowed to visit training sessions, matches, or the hotel. No spectators will be allowed at the venues during the games."

The tournament, featuring the six franchise teams - the Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, St Lucia Zouks and Trinbago Knight Riders - will play matches at the Queen's Park Oval, Port-of-Spain, and at the Brian Lara Academy, Tarouba, South Trinidad.

The Gold Commander for the CPL tournament is Acting Assistant Commissioner, Floris Hodge-Griffith.

So far there are 173 positive cases in T&T with eight deaths as of yesterday.

PM Rowley also said that breaching of biosecurity protocols by players and staff will strictly not be tolerated.

"Don't play you can come out from that protocol and decide to take a drink down the road or whatever, we're not tolerating that. We've established very strict protocols."

The opening match will be between the Trinbago Knight Riders and the Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy from 10 am followed by the defending champions the Tridents against the Patriots from 5.30 pm.

[Deeks]

I wonder why Bermuda and Bahamas can't play in this tournament?

[Flex]

Jamaican CPL player tests positive for covid19
NARISSA FRASER (NEWSDAY).

A JAMAICAN player who was set to compete in the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League has tested positive for covid19. He, along with two other players who were in contact with him, will miss the tournament.

According to an article from the Jamaica Observer, CEO of Jamaica’s Cricket Association Courtney Francis said he was working closely with the country’s health ministry. When contacted, Francis told Newsday all information in the article is true.

The report said, “The Observer has learnt that the player who tested positive was among a group of cricketers who had been training under the supervision of Jamaica Scorpions Head Coach Andre Coley.

“They have been replaced by West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood and former regional youth spinner Ramaal Lewis.”

The player who tested positive – while Jamaican – was set to represent another team in the competition. And the other two were expected to represent the Tallawahs.

The rest of the Tallawahs squad will be arriving in TT on Monday night. Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram - at the Health Ministry's virtual press conference on Monday morning - confirmed a total of 67 CPL players will arrive on Monday night. He did not indicate which teams the players are from.

The report added, “Players, coaches and members of the Jamaica Scorpions backroom staff are under quarantine, while health personnel are expected to begin testing of possible contacts today.”

Francis was quoted as saying, “It's unfortunate because it could have happened to anybody. And it is very unfortunate for those two players in particular. There is no evidence, as we speak, that they are ill, but because of how the protocols are set out and for the safety of everyone things had to be done that way.

“As it is, a person would require two-straight negative tests before he or she is cleared, and even then there is the quarantine period, so they obviously would not catch that flight to Trinidad.”

[Flex]

More CPL players to arrive in T&T today
NARISSA FRASER (NEWSDAY).

A TOTAL of 67 cricketers set to compete in the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will arrive in T&T tonight. This was confirmed by Caribbean Airlines’ head of communications and public relations Dionne Ligoure.

Ligoure told Newsday while she could not say which teams would be arriving, all flights today are specifically for CPL players.

According to an article from the Jamaica Observer, the Jamaica Tallawahs will venture to T&T today.

CEO of Jamaica’s Cricket Association Courtney Francis confirmed to Newsday the information in the article is accurate.

The first set of CPL players - 102 - arrived in T&T on Sunday night.

A chartered Caribbean Airlines flight is scheduled to leave the Norman Manley International Airport in Jamaica at 12.30 pm and arrive at Grantley Adams Airport in Barbados at 4.05 pm.

A flight is then scheduled to leave Barbados at 8.25 pm and arrive at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana.

And after an hour-long layover, the flight will leave Guyana at 10.45 pm and arrive in T&T at 11.55 pm.

The tournament will run from August 18 to September 10, at the Queen's Park Oval and Brian Lara Cricket Academy, but without spectators.

In addition, the players have to remain in – what the Prime Minister calls – a “bubble,” as they will not be allowed to come into contact with the public. They will be staying at the Hilton Trinidad, St Ann’s.

Trinbago Knight Riders began training today at the Queen's Park Oval, St Clair.

This is the first time the entire tournament is being held in one country.

[Flex]

Webster: Dwayne Bravo, Ahmed return a plus for TKR
JELANI BECKLES (NEWSDAY).

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) batsman Tion Webster believes the return of Dwayne Bravo and Fawad Ahmed is a plus for the local franchise in the forthcoming 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament.

The tournament will be held in Trinidad from August 18 to September 10 with matches being played at the Queen's Park Oval in St Clair and at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

This is the first time the entire tournament will be held in one country.

Bravo missed the entire 2019 tournament after getting a finger injury days before the competition began.

Australian leg-spinner Ahmed was the tournament's leading wicket-taker in the 2018 edition for TKR with 22 wickets. Ahmed played for the St Lucia Zouks in 2019, but has returned to TKR this year.

Talking about TKR's chances, especially with the return of Bravo and Ahmed, Webster said, "I think our team this year is a good balanced team, a very strong team having Fawad back and the (former) captain Dwayne. I think they are two great players you could depend on in any situation, so having those guys with us is a good plus for us."

Webster only played three matches in the 2019 edition, but one knock included an unbeaten 66 off 49 deliveries. When Colin Munro returned from international duty with New Zealand for the fourth TKR game, Webster was left out of the starting XI.

Webster is hoping for a place in the starting XI. "I am feeling very confident having played last year in the CPL. I played only three games, (but) one game I had a 50 so the confidence is there. I am looking forward to this one, looking for a positive start and I can't wait for it to start. Hoping obviously to get more opportunities this year."

Competition in the batting is stiff in the TKR squad as the Bravo brothers Dwayne and Darren are available from match one.

Darren, a top order left-handed batsman, missed four matches due to a concussion while playing for West Indies before the CPL.

No fans are allowed to attend the matches because of the covid19 pandemic.

"Playing (at) home everybody will be comfortable. I think having the fans gives you the extra drive and motivation...without it I don't know what will happen, but I think people will still be motivated to win the tournament."

Cricket has been relatively quiet since the covid19 pandemic began in March. Several of the TKR players, including Webster, have been getting some playing time in the Central Super League T10 tournament over the past week and a half. Webster has not let the downtime affect his readiness.

"I have been home doing my personal thing. I am focused on it, I was working towards it...I have been back out practising probably close to four weeks now getting (some) hitting in and I am feeling good. (I am) not feeling too rusty."

[Flex]

Officials expect smooth running of 2020 CPL
JELANI BECKLES (NEWSDAY).

HEAD of the local organising committee for the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament Douglas Camacho, and head of public relations and communications Peter Miller, reiterated the importance of testing players and officials for covid19 before arriving in T&T for the annual event.

A Jamaican player, who was set to represent St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, tested positive for the virus. According to the CNC3 newscast on Tuesday, he will be replaced by T&T leg spinner Imran Khan.

Jamaica Tallawahs duo Andre McCarthy and Jeavor Royal were exposed to the player who tested positive and will miss the tournament. The pair will be replaced by West Indies Test batsman Jermaine Blackwood and former West Indies Under-19 captain Ramaal Lewis.

On Monday, Jamaica Cricket Association CEO Courtney Francis told the Jamaica Observer the news and it was confirmed by Newsday. Patriots coach Simon Helmot, who is Australian, has also tested positive for the virus.

Camacho, who is also chairman of the Sport Company of T&T, said it was a chance that someone would test positive because of the number of people involved.

“Statistically one would expect that if you are trying to bring in a couple hundred people that some might test positive. Hence the CMO (Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram) was very clear all along on the guidelines that we will be applying in terms of pre tests so if you test (positive) before then you are out."

Camacho said the people arriving will go into quarantine. “If you come you still have to go through the 14-day quarantine in the bio-bubble, but even within the bio-bubble (there is) no interaction for the first week among the players. Each person will have a separate room and each person will have an opportunity to exercise and train on their own without interacting with others at least for the first seven days as the protocol describes it.”

Camacho, asked if he thinks the CPL could run smoothly, he said “absolutely.”

He said the sporting fans are eager for action. “I think certainly from a sporting point of view the public is anxious. Yes they may not be physically able to go, but just to know it is happening on our shores and people could see it live on television.” No fans are allowed to attend in the tournament that runs from August 18 to September 10, with action scheduled for the Queen's Park Oval in St Clair and the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

Players started arriving for the CPL on Sunday. Camacho said the remaining players and officials were expected to arrive in Trinidad on Tuesday. Over 250 players and officials will stay at the Hilton Hotel in St Ann’s including players from the Trinbago Knight Riders, Tallawahs, Patriots, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Barbados Tridents and St Lucia Zouks. It is first time that the entire CPL will be played in one country.

Miller, discussing the player testing positive, said that’s why it was so important to test players before arriving in T&T.

Miller told Newsday in a Whatsapp message, “Everyone was tested before they left their home country for this very reason, so we could ensure only those free of covid travelled. If you tested positive you could not travel to T&T.”

[Flex]

TKR foreign players continue Hilton Hotel quarantine
JONATHAN RAMNANANSINGH (NEWSDAY).

ALL SIX foreign players representing the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) at this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament have begun their first seven days of quarantine at the Hilton Hotel, St Ann’s.

Colin Munro, Tim Seifert (both from New Zealand), Fawad Ahmed (Australia), Praven Tambe (India), Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) and Ali Khan (USA) arrived in Trinidad earlier this week and have already commenced their mandatory quarantine period to ensure participation at the 2020 CPL (Caribbean Premier League).

Meanwhile local TKR players such as skipper Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine and Lendl Simmons took part in a practice match against the T&T Red Force at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair on Thursday.

TKR manager Colin Borde said the foreigners are each currently confined to one room and remain under quarantine until Tuesday. They have already been presented with special workout programmes by team coach Brendon McCullum.

“All the foreign-based players have arrived and are in quarantine and comfortable. The local boys have been training and are very enthusiastic about playing and meeting up with the players from abroad. The overseas players are confined to one room and are under quarantine until August 11,” said Borde.

On August 18, the annual tournament bowls off with TKR against Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Oval. Prior to confirmation of T&T as hosts, players and franchises alike were sceptical if the tourney would have been held due to the global covid19 pandemic.

According to Borde, the excitement and anticipation is building among the TKR camp ahead of tournament, which will be staged without spectators.

“I know a lot of the guys are meeting up after some time away (from each other) as well. The energy and focus is getting stronger with each passing day. Players are running into the fact that it’s getting closer to game time and are all eager to be back out playing. It’s always interesting to see the change in focus as we get closer as players begin to internalise the processes of preparatory work,” he noted.

Borde also expressed confidence with the Ministry of Health and CPL officials for their implementation of a bio-secure environment at the Hilton Hotel. This was done to increase player/team safety of both local and international players and to decrease the spread of covid19.

“We are very confident in the bio-secure protocols that have been put in the Hilton and expect as we go along to learn more about how we make the best of it. It’s all new to everyone but we are guided by the rules put in place,” he concluded.

[Flex]

CPL teams forced to make changes
JELANI BECKLES (NEWSDAY).

THE squads for the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament have been confirmed, with all players and coaching staff now in T&T. Five of the six teams had to make changes owing to covid19 and travel restrictions.

The foreign CPL players are now in a 14-day quarantine which will end just days before the tournament begins on August 18.

A CPL release said, "There were three players and one coach who have not been able to travel as a result of the stringent protocols to ensure the safety of the CPL cohort and the population of T&T. Every person was tested 72 hours before they travelled in order to ensure that all members of the party were travelling virus-free."

St Kitts and Nevis player Dennis Bulli and the team's Australian coach Simon Helmot tested positive and were not allowed to travel to T&T.

Jamaica Tallawahs pair Andre McCarthy and Jeavor Royal were exposed to Bulli and will not play in the tournament. They were replaced by Jermaine Blackwood and Ramaal Lewis.

West Indies bowling legend Courtney Walsh will join the Patriots' coaching staff for Helmot.

Michael Hall, CPL tournament operations director, said: “These withdrawals are a sign of the testing protocols that CPL put in place working as they should, and while it is disappointing for the players and coaches involved it is vital that CPL does nothing to compromise the safety of all those involved in the tournament and the public of Trinidad.

“There have been other changes to the squads and support staff as a result of other logistical challenges to the difficulty of travelling at the current time.”

The Trinbago Knight Riders are the only team that did not have to make changes.

SQUADS

Trinbago Knight Riders

Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Colin Munro, Fawad Ahmed, Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Tim Siefert, Sikandar Raza, Anderson Phillip, Pravin Tambe, Jayden Seales, Amir Jangoo, Tion Webster, Akeal Hosein, Ali Khan

Jamaica Tallawahs

Andre Russell, Sandeep Lamichhane, Carlos Brathwaite, Rovman Powell, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Glenn Phillips, Chadwick Walton, Oshane Thomas, Asif Ali, Fidel Edwards, Preston McSween, Jermaine Blackwood, Nicholas Kirton, Ramaal Lewis, Nkrumah Bonner, Veerasammy Permaul, Ryan Persaud

St Lucia Zouks

Roston Chase, Mohammed Nabi, Daren Sammy, Najibullah Zadran, Andre Fletcher, Kesrick Williams, Scott Kuggeleijn, Chemar Holder, Obed McCoy, Rahkeem Cornwall, Mark Deyal, Zahir Khan, Kimani Melius, Leniko Boucher, Kavem Hodge, Javelle Glen, Saad Bin Zafar

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots

Chris Lynn, Ben Dunk, Evin Lewis, Nick Kelly, Sohail Tanvir, Ish Sodhi, Sheldon Cottrell, Denesh Ramdin, Rayad Emrit, Imran Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Joshua Da Silva, Dominic Drakes, Colin Archibald, Jon Russ Jaggesar, Jahmar Hamilton

Barbados Tridents

Rashid Khan, Jason Holder, Corey Anderson, Shamarh Brooks, Mitchell Santner, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Hayden Walsh Jnr, Ashley Nurse, Jonathan Carter, Raymon Reifer, Kyle Mayers, Joshua Bishop, Nyeem Young, Justin Greaves, Keon Harding, Shayan Jahangir

Guyana Amazon Warriors

Imran Tahir, Nicholas Pooran, Brandon King, Ross Taylor, Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Green, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Naveen Ul Haq, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Kevin Sinclair, Ashmeade Nedd, Odean Smith, Anthony Bramble, Jasdeep Singh, Kissoondath Magram.

[Flex]

Edition 2020 CPL - A different kind of excitement?
By Colin Murray (Guardian).

Well, 'the biggest party in sport' bowls off next Tuesday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in Tarouba, San Fernando. Yes, folks, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament is back but this year without the music, dancing, Trini posse, Tassa, flags and most significantly - spectators.

The CPL will just not be the same. We recently witnessed the biosecure Test series between England and the West Indies and although there were no crowds at the venues, the cricket was riveting but that is Test cricket. While the players would love to see the test grounds full, it is far different when it comes to T20 cricket. The players thrive off of the adrenaline from the atmosphere, the boundaries, the catches, the wickets, the run outs and the fist-pumping from the players really makes it the biggest party in sport. So, with no spectators and some of the regional and international stars not taking part in the tournament, what can we expect this year?

The surprise package last year - the Barbados Tridents - who came from an inconsistent 5 wins and 5 losses in the preliminary stage to win the tournament, must surely feel they can record back to back wins. It was right here at the BLCA that they defeated the tournament favourites, the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR), in the semi-final and took care of the previously unbeaten Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) in the final. I thought much of their success, in the end, was down to their tactics as they did their homework to defeat the big guns at the death. Looking at their squad, they seem stronger in the bowling department. Hayden Walsh Jr. is back but this time he has with him Rashid Khan who is a world-class leg spinner. Traditionally, leggies have done well in the CPL and these two will be well-supported by Mitchell Santner, the left-arm orthodox spinner, and Ashley Nurse who bowled well in Trinidad. The medium-fast bowlers in their line up will be steady but not spectacular. Their batting is their concern and much will depend on Johnson Charles, Shamarh Brooks, Shai Hope, and Jonathan Carter to get the runs but they will feel confident to defend any total.

What does one say about the bridesmaid, the GAW? They played brilliantly until the final night when everything collapsed around them. 26-year-old Chris Green will lead them this year and while the South African born Australian cricketer is not by any means a world-class player, he gives 150% and will lead by example to inspire his team. Unlike the Tridents, their batting is their strength and any team with Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Brandon King and the steady Ross Taylor will certainly feel they can chase any large total. The seasoned Imran Tahir will be their bowling trump card.

TKR will be their usual competitive self. Again led by Kieron Pollard, they have managed to retain the majority of their 2019 squad and while the wicketkeeping duties this year have gone to Tim Seifert (who has replaced Denesh Ramdin), they possess a well-balanced team. They have secured the services of Fawad Ahmed who proves that there is no substitute for a good working 'old thing'. They bat deep and in addition to Ahmed, they have the bowling armoury to suit any type of bowling conditions.

Veteran Trinbagonian Rayad Emrit will lead the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and for me, they may very well be the dark horse in the tournament. They have some real individual match-winners in this team. Evin Lewis will need to sparkle at the top of the order together with the Australian pair of Chris Lynn and Ben Dunk with Ramdin guiding the middle and lower order. Sheldon Cottrell and Sohail Tanvir can make early inroads into any batting line up and if Ish Sodhi can acclimatise early on, he can be among the wickets. Do not underestimate this team.

St Lucia Zouks may struggle as they have lost some big players including Chris Gayle before the tournament started. They have secured the services of the hard-hitting Najibullah Zadran and together with Andre Fletcher, they will need to score runs consistently to give the bowlers something to defend. As a bowling unit when one looks through their lineup, talent is abundant but over the years, they have grown to throw in the towel when things are not going their way. Darren Sammy will have to keep their spirit up and get them to play cricket to their maximum potential.

Last but not least is the Jamaica Tallawahs. How can a team with so much talent finish at the bottom of the table in 2019? Obviously, it had to do with off the field antics as a few 'big name' players seemed unhappy during the season. Rovman Powell has been handed the captain's armband and if this team can focus on playing cricket, they could be up there with the top four. Any team with Andre 'Superman' Russell in it is a threat. Sandeep Lamichhane. with Russell, will spearhead their attack but like TKR, this is a well-balanced team and can take the title moving from last to first. Batting wise, Glenn Phillips will be key, and if Jermaine Blackwood bats intelligently, he can be extremely dangerous.

With no spectators, TKR will not have their 12th man this season so it should even things out and with all the regional and international players in a “bubble” at the Hilton Hotel to be joined tomorrow by the local players, the question is who will hit the ground running? The pitches will be slow because of all the rain we have been having and the batsmen will have to adjust quickly to suit the slow pitches.

My four? TKR, Jamaica Tallawahs, Guyana Amazon Warriors and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots but spectators or no spectators it will surely be a great and competitive tournament. May the best team win. Good luck!

Editor's note:

The views expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of any organisation of which he is a stakeholder.

[Flex]

Player Profiles: Trinbago Knight Riders
BY JOEL BAILEY (T&T NEWSDAY).

KIERON POLLARD

He is a man who doesn’t need any introduction in the cricketing fraternity. Pollard is one of the undisputed champions of the shortest format, having won franchise cricket titles around the globe, and having mesmerised fans with his all-round expertise for many years. Last year, the local boy put on the TKR jersey for the first time, adding more firepower to our arsenal. Pollard has been a part of Windies’ international setup since 2007, when he made his One-Day International debut against South Africa in St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth.

Interestingly, the big man from Trinidad had made his maiden First-Class appearance only three months prior to that. Thirteen years on, the world of cricket acknowledges Pollard as one of the most dangerous all-rounders in the shortest format. The 32-year-old has represented Somerset, Stanford Superstars, South Australia, BBL’s (Big Bash League) Adelaide Strikers, Melbourne Renegades, Dhaka Gladiators of BPL (Bangladesh Premier League), Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL (Pakistan Super League), Mumbai Indians in the IPL (Indian Premier League), Toronto Nationals in GT20 (Global T20 Canada), Barbados Tridents and St Lucia Stars in the CPL.

Pollard is all set to lead the men in red and black once again, and he brings the experience of 500-plus T20 appearances to the table. With a T20 strike rate of over 150, and more than 250 wickets against his name, Pollard, as DJ Bravo says in his song, is indeed a true Champion!

DWAYNE BRAVO

Highest wicket-taker, entertainer, and three times champion in the CPL - need we say more? DJ Bravo, who was also an integral part of Windies’ T20 International title triumphs in 2012 and 2016, is undoubtedly one of the best players in the shortest form of the game.

Bravo made his mark in international cricket back in April 2004, in Windies’ One-Day International series versus England at home. With 40 Test appearances and 164 ODIs under his belt, the Trinidadian became a household name across the Caribbean with his all-round prowess. But the handy middle-order batsman, with his ability of sending the ball deep into the stands, and a variety of tricks in his kitty with the ball, soon became a name to reckon with in the shortest format of the game.

With franchise-cricket taking over the scene in the past decade or so, cricketers like Bravo have become instrumental for teams taking part in global T20 competitions around the world. Trinbago Knight Riders, TT Red Steel, TT, University of West Indies Vice Chancellor’s XI, The Windies, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Lions, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, Melbourne Renegades, Sydney Sixers, Victoria, Essex, Kent, Winnipeg Hawks - the list of franchises and teams that have vied to have him in their ranks is endless.

Outside the cricket field, Bravo has made a name for himself with his penchant for music. His Champion song became a popular hit during Windies’ World T20 win in 2016, and various other singles - Chalo Chalo, We are the Kings, Run D world and more - makes Bravo’s fans around the world twirl to his tunes.

[Flex]

Pollard likes TKR bowling weapons
JELANI BECKLES (NEWSDAY).

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) captain Kieron Pollard said a healthy Dwayne Bravo and the return of Fawad Ahmed are key additions to the team this season after the local franchise struggled to find consistency in the bowling department during the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament.

Bravo fractured his finger days before last year’s CPL bowled off and the medium pacer was forced to miss the entire tournament. Bravo has been a key member of the T&T franchise since the CPL began in 2013, leading all bowlers in the history of the tournament with 97 wickets.

Ahmed made a name for himself in his only season with TKR in 2018. The leg spinner ended the tournament as the top wicket taker with 22 scalps, which was instrumental in helping TKR cop its third CPL title. The Pakistan-born Australian played for the St Lucia Zouks last year.

“I think it is going to be fantastic for us because these are guys who are proven match winners,” Pollard told reporters on Zoom, on Friday.

“Fawad has been with TKR before (and) he has won a title and DJ (Bravo), the champion himself. I think that is something that we really missed in last year’s campaign was the experience in our bowling. We lost DJ early up and we lost (Sunil) Narine through the tournament as well. So again, having those two experienced campaigners for us is a plus and they are coming quick and firing, looking forward to perform in this tournament. We could only see positives and again hopefully we can piece the puzzles together and start the campaign on a good run.”

Mystery spinner Narine missed five matches last year because of a finger injury and was below par with just seven wickets in seven matches. The most successful bowler for TKR in 2019 was medium pacer Jimmy Neesham who took 11 wickets in ten matches at an astronomical economy rate of 11.10. Neesham finished 11th on the bowling chart. Barbados Tridents spinner Hayden Walsh was top of the list with 22 scalps.

Pollard, who said the first objective is to qualify for the playoffs, is excited about the opening match of the tournament against Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, on Tuesday, at 10 am.

“Guyana did well throughout the 2019 campaign, but as we have seen we have planned for 2020 and all the plans we have planned for individuals have gone out the window (because of covid19). 2019 is done, it’s a new series and we are looking forward to playing against them, every time we come up against them it’s a good match. They got the better of us in 2019 but that counts for nothing come the start of this tournament.”

Amazon Warriors, who defeated TKR twice last year, lost in the final to Barbados Tridents at Brian Lara Stadium.

Bravo led the T&T franchise from 2013 to 2018, but Pollard replaced the injured Bravo last year as captain. Pollard, who is the West Indies T20 and 50-over captain, has been given the nod ahead of Bravo to skipper again.

On the decision, Pollard said, “It was an overall decision from each and every individual. We sat down and we had the conversations since last year, so it was no surprise obviously when it was announced this year.”

The TKR captain added that Bravo is excited about his role. “He wants to enjoy the rest of his playing time and we want to give him that opportunity to be free and just do what the champion does and that’s win cricket games for the franchise and hopefully prolong his career for as long as possible.”

Pollard is also looking forward to playing with Pravin Tambe, a 48 year old Indian spinner who will be oldest player in the history of the CPL.

[Flex]

CPL match times changed for India market
JELANI BECKLES (NEWSDAY).

THE start time for 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 weekend fixtures have changed.

According to a CPL media release, "The afternoon matches on Saturday and Sunday will now start at 2.15 pm local time." The morning matches on weekends bowl off at 10 am. The matches during the week will still be played at 10 am and 5.30 pm.

According to head of communications and public relations Peter Miller there were a lot of factors which led to the decision with the broadcast of matches on TV one of those reasons. The CPL has a huge following around the world, especially in India. If matches start at 2.15 pm in TT it will bowl off at 11.45 pm in India, as opposed to 3 am if the matches in TT start at 5.30 pm.

The 33-match season will be played in T&T with all matches taking place across two venues – Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba and the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair.

[Flex]

CPL ready to produce lively wickets
JELANI BECKLES (NEWSDAY).

AUSTRALIAN curator David Agnew said it will be challenging having 23 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches at the Brian Lara Stadium, but said a collaborative effort with the local groundsmen will help the quality of wickets throughout the entire tournament.

The CPL bowls off on Tuesday with a double header at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba. Trinbago Knight Riders will play Guyana Amazon Warriors at 10 am, followed by a clash between last year's champions Barbados Tridents and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at 5.30 pm.

The tournament, which ends on September 10, will be played in TT with 23 matches in Tarouba and ten matches at the Queen's Park Oval in St Clair.

Discussing the task of having 23 matches at the Tarouba venue, Agnew told Newsday, "It's a huge challenge, exciting though. It is a good way to actually show groundsmen what pitches are actually capable of."

Agnew, who has worked for the CPL in the past, said it must be an all-hands-on-deck approach for the tournament and working alongside the local groundsmen is "hugely important."

Agnew will join forces with sports advisor to Udecott, Manohar Ramsaran, and the team of groundsmen at Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

He added, "It is exciting, the guys there I have forged a really good relationship..

"Everyone knows what they are doing, everyone is confident and energy is there because we all want to have the games on and so obviously the faster that we can cover (the field if rain falls) and then get the games back on and everyone is on the same page. It's a big team, it's a wonderful team there and it is going to be good."

The Australian groundsman will draw from his experience as a groundsman in the 2019 Global T20 Canada when more than 20 matches were played at the CAA Centre Cricket Grounds in Brampton, Ontario.

Agnew is from Adelaide, Australia but has been living in New Zealand for the past four years.

The 35-year-old has been a groundsman for 15 years. He has qualifications in level four turf management and has worked at several venues including Adelaide Cricket Ground. Cricket grounds are his expert area, but he has dabbled in rugby and football also.

Agnew said the preparation at Brian Lara is key with so many matches at one ground. "(It's) a case of preparing the pitches just a bit differently to what you would normally do for a one-off game or two games potentially at a ground. There is bit more involved in managing the grass on the pitch, having more grass on the wickets because it is about longevity (and) making them last...it can be done, there is no reason why it can't de done. It is all about keeping the life in the wicket and that is the hardest part of the management and the weather is obviously a big factor here as well with rainfall that can happen here in the afternoons."

Agnew said the groundsmen would need some luck as well with the weather. Plans are in place to use three wickets at Brian Lara to ensure the cricket is of a high standard.

In getting through the matches, Agnew said, "We will be working long hours, long weeks to obviously achieve that and make that happen because we all want to see cricket games on, and more the better for everyone."

[Flex]

Guyana using 2019 CPL 'pain' as motivation
JELANI BECKLES (NEWSDAY).

GUYANA Amazon Warriors have been to the Hero Caribbean Premier League final five times in seven years, but are yet to win a title. Captain Chris Green said his team is not dwelling on the past and their pain will be used as motivation.

Amazon Warriors were undefeated in the preliminary phase of the 2019 edition with ten wins on the trot and then got past Barbados Tridents in qualifier one at Providence Stadium in Guyana.

Amazon Warriors could not end the tournament unbeaten, losing to Tridents in the final at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

Speaking to journalists on Zoom on Friday, Green reflected on the 2019 final. “Last year when we there after the game together, it certainly hurt. We went on that amazing run and then were outplayed in the final.”

The South African-born Australian said his team is hungry to finish on top. “To go through and win 11 games in a row is an amazing feat and obviously we would’ve loved to put the icing on the cake and bring that trophy home. It has left a lot of us wanting more and desiring more and using that pain as a little bit of motivation for those who are still thinking about it.”

The 2020 edition bowls off in Tarouba on Tuesday with Amazon Warriors tackling home team Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) at 10 am.

On facing TKR in the opening match of the tournament, the Amazon Warriors skipper said, “We are all really excited for our first game on the (August) 18th against TKR. We’ve got a great rivalry with them and it will be nice to start off on the right foot.”

No fans are allowed in this year’s tournament in Trinidad, but Green thinks TKR has an edge.

“I think the competition is going to be incredibly tough. All the teams have got great rosters put together. Obviously the whole tournament being in Trinidad naturally makes TKR have that home advantage the whole time. I think they are the forerunners, but we love going through with the underdog tag and I am super excited about the team we have been able to put together.”

Green has replaced Pakistani Shoaib Malik as captain of the Amazon Warriors. Green had a stint as captain of the team in 2018.

Like TKR, the Guyana franchise has several local players on its squad with the likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd and Chandrapaul Hemraj. Other West Indian top players include vice-captain Nicholas Pooran and Brandon King, along with Ross Taylor of New Zealand and South African spinner Imran Tahir.

The crowds in Trinidad and Guyana are known for being the most passionate. Green said his team is going to miss the Guyanese fans this year.

“One of the factors that we are going to miss this year is certainly playing in front of our fans at Providence Stadium. That’s been massive. The support we get from Guyana and throughout the Caribbean certainly mean so much to the players. I know already a lot of us have been getting so many messages from our fans saying they miss us and they are sending great wishes.”

[Flex]

Pollard: Bravo and Narine key
By Vinode Mamchan (Guardian).

Captain of the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) Kieron Pollard says that former captain Dwayne Bravo and mystery spinner Sunil Narine are key to his team's chances of winning the title.

Pollard speaking during his team's practice session at the Queen's Park Oval on Friday he said, the team missed both of them last year. The TKR gunning for a hattrick of titles last season ducked out at the play-off stages, losing to eventual champions the Barbados Tridents.

Bravo got a hand injury practicing before the tournament and that ruled him out entirely, while Narine although playing on a need-be basis because of his finger injury could not serve the team as well as he normally does.

According to Pollard: "We missed both players last year, Bravo being out up early and then Narine with his finger injury missing some games. However, we are happy that both are fully fit and available for the tournament this time around and this is key for us."

TKR will open their campaign against last year's runner-up Guyana Amazon Warriors next Tuesday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy from 10 am. Pollard is looking forward to the battle :"They got the better os us last year but nothing counts for what happened in 2019. This is a new tournament and we will be going out there to play our best cricket and looking to win matches and get a good start. The champion DJ Bravo is with us and he is a tremendous addition to the team. He lends so much to the side and now he will be able to just play free and enjoy himself.

"The team's preparations are coming along well and we look forward to that opening game against Warriors. Whenever we meet them, there is always a keen battle and we are looking forward to good cricket."

With the tournament being played behind closed doors because of the COVID 19 pandemic, there will be no crowd on hand. Pollard says his team will still be playing for their fans. "We always get tremendous support from our fans who are our 12th man and we will miss them during this tournament. We all know the reason why and we will be playing for them, looking to win matches for TKR."

The TKR team will continue their training today at the UWI SPEC in St. Augustine and then it will be back to the bio-secure 'bubble' at the Hilton Trinidad.

[Flex]

TKR breaks Warriors jinx
By Vinode Mamchan (Guardian).

The Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) defeated the Guyana Amazon Warriors by four wickets to break the hold that the Warriors had on them since last season.

Sunil Narine, a right-arm off break bowler, showed his class turning in a fine all-round performance to send back the Warriors by four wickets in the opening match of the 2020 Hero CPL T20 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando on Tuesday.

SCORES: Guyana Amazon Warriors 144/5 (20) vs TKR 147/6 (16.4) - TKR won by four wickets. The mystery man grabbed 2/19 and then raced to 50 that brought victory to his team. It was their first victory since 2018 over the Warriors. In 2019 they defeated the TKR by 17 runs in their first match at the Queen's Park Oval and seven wickets at the Providence Stadium in the return match.

With the Warriors getting away at 73/2 in the 10th over, Narine came on to follow up his earlier wicket of Chandrapual Hemraj with that of the dangerous Ross Taylor to swing the tide of the match. He ended with 2/19 off his two overs and was able to keep top-scorer Shimron Hetmyer 63 not out quiet for most parts.

Narine, 32, then turned up with the bat to slam a 28-ball 50 to dig TKR out of a tricky start and unto victory. He was able to carry on after the loss of Lendl Simmons (17) as TKR was always ahead of the required rate. His 50 included four sixes and two fours. Also batting well was Darren Bravo who struck 30 off 27 balls with two sixes. Kiwi Colin Munro gave the innings the impetus it needed upfront with 17 off seven balls. TKR lost four wickets towards the end for the cost of 47 runs but the victory was always on the cards after the work of the bowlers.

Earlier on, TKR skipper Kieron Pollard won the toss and decided to send in the Warriors on a cloudy day with rain a constant threat. The match was reduced to 17 overs per side and started an hour and a half late due to heavy early morning rain.

Muhammad Ali Khan gave TKR the perfect start by sending back Brandon King for a duck in the first over. King scored 496 runs last year to be the highest scorer in the tournament. He also drew a very confident appeal against Shimron Hetmyer in the same over but the southpaw survived.

Hetmyer would go on to score 63 not out off 44 balls with two fours and two sixes. Taylor and Hetmyer batted well in tandem with the veteran New Zealander counting 33 off 21 balls with two sixes and two fours.

Meanwhile, TKR captain Pollard said that the victory was scrappy but still appreciated. "Any competition, you want to start well. A little scratchy and scrappy but good to get over the line. We needed to play a good game of cricket and it was a good game of cricket. Points on the board at the start."

The star of the tournament's opening encounter Narine said it was a good win. "Getting Taylor's wicket was key while bowling." He enjoyed his stint with the bat: "Batting got easier as the day went on. They bowled well, but I just continued trying to stay as still as possible. It's a good win, although it got close."

Losing skipper Green said emulating 11 wins in a row as they did last year was always going to be difficult. "It was going to be tough beating 11 wins in a row from last year. Was a tough game, and the first game in a long time, so. Given the start, losing two early wickets, I think Taylor and Hetmyer batted really well. We thought 140 would be a good score. We spoke about holding that length, and when we went away from that, we got hurt. Plenty of room for improvement."

MATCH RESULTS

Trinbago Knight Riders 147/6 (Narine 50, Darren Bravo 30, Munro 17; Naveen 2/21, Tahir 2/40, Paul 1/21, Shepherd 1/30) beat Guyana Amazon Warriors 144/5 (Hetmyer 63*, Taylor 33, Pooran 18, Paul 15*; Narine 2/19, Ali Khan 1/21, Seales 1/24) by four wickets.

[Flex]

Defending champs Tridents make winning start
JELANI BECKLES (NEWSDAY).

DEFENDING champions Barbados Tridents made a winning start with a six-run victory over St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on the opening day of the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, in Tarouba, on Tuesday.

Tridents scored 153/9 in 20 overs, then restricted Patriots to 147/5 in reply.

It is a different CPL with no fans and the entire tournament being held in Trinidad, but Sheldon Cottrell's celebrations remain the same. He was saluting in his first over as the left-arm pacer bowled Johnson Charles (four) and got another when Corey Anderson (duck) struck the ball straight to Evin Lewis at point. Tridents were 8/3 in the third over as Shai Hope was out for three when he skied a delivery to Lewis in the covers to give Sohail Tanvir his first scalp.

Kyle Mayers did not pay attention to the scoreboard as he played positively as Tridents raced to 30/3 after five overs after being 9/3 after three overs. Tridents captain Jason Holder also played confidently as Tridents recovered to reach 69/3 after seven overs.

The 61-run partnership was broken when Mayers was caught on the cover boundary by Jahmar Hamilton to give Patriots captain Rayad Emrit the wicket. Mayers scored 37 off 20 balls which included two fours and three sixes. The next ball it was 69/5 after 7.3 overs when Jonathan Carter was run out by Lewis. Raymon Reifer was next to go as Tridents were in all sorts of trouble on 79/6 in the tenth over. Lower order resistance led by Holder and Rashid Khan pushed Tridents to a respectable 153/9 in 20 overs. Holder top-scored with 38 off 22 balls with two fours and three sixes. Khan, more known for his ability as a spinner, contributed 26 not out. Khan found an able partner in Hayden Walsh as the pair put on 25 unbroken runs for the last wicket.

Cottrell and Emrit both ended with 2/16 in their four-over spells and Tanvir grabbed 2/25 in his four.

Patriots made a stuttering start in the run chase getting to 39/2 in the seventh over, before Ben Dunk and Joshua Da Silva combined to put on 50 for the third wicket. Dunk was the aggressor as he slammed a four and a six in one over off Reifer as Patriots were well poised on 73/2 after ten overs. Da Silva was happy to push the singles and give Dunk the strike.

Dunk was dismissed with the score on 89 in the 13th over when he was caught by long on fielder Kyle Mayers to give Mitchell Santner the wicket. Dunk made 34 off 21 and counted three fours and a six.

Da Silva, who started playing a few more shots, was joined by Denesh Ramdin as the pair pushed the score to 109/3 after 15 overs. The match was now hanging in the balance with Patriots needing 45 off 30 deliveries.

Ramdin and Da Silva struggled to score boundaries consistently as the Patriots required 31 off 18 balls to win the match. Ramdin was brilliantly caught by Hayden Walsh on the boundary and the next delivery Khan bowled Jahmar Hamilton for duck to swing the match in the Tridents favour.

Needing 28 off 12 balls, Patriots fell short.

SUMMARISED SCORES

Barbados Tridents 153/9 (20 overs) (Jason Holder 38, Kyle Mayers 37, Rashid Khan 26 not out; Sheldon Cottrell 2/16, Rayad Emrit 2/16, Sohail Tanvir 2/25) vs St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 147/5 (20 overs) (Joshua Da Silva 41 not out, Ben Dunk 34; Mitchell Santner 2/18, Rashid Khan 2/27) Tridents won by six runs