Gros Islet, St Lucia – Windward Islands captain Darren Sammy has called on his team-mates to "step it up" when they play three home matches in the Caribbean T20’s second phase at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.
Sammy’s men are joint third in the standings and will have an all-important fourth match against leaders Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday at 8 pm (7 pm Jamaica Time).
"We have not played out best cricket so far, but I am hoping that [with] the change of venue and playing in front our home crowd, we could improve and click at the right time. We will look to step it up," Sammy said.
Both teams had full training sessions on a sunny Monday afternoon. The Windwards were at Beausejour while the Trinis were at the idyllic Gros Islet Playing Field. Sammy said his side will have all 14 players fit and available for selection, while T&T will have to choose from 13 players as allrounder Kevon Cooper has left to play in the Bangladesh Premier League.
"We are going to need our A-game to beat Trinidad and I know Johnson (Charles) and (Andre) Fletcher and almost all our batsmen are due some runs, so hopefully we can come in and put in a good performance in front of our home crowd," the skipper added.
Last year the Windwards recorded a victory against Trinidad and Tobago in the tournament – the only team to do so – and Sammy is hoping for a similar result this year as well.
"Last year we played really well against them and came away with a brilliant victory. It was not an easy contest, but we believe we can repeat again this year. Trinidad are the most experienced team in the tournament – they have some very experienced players who have played all over the world – but last year we were the only team that defeated Trinidad and we will look to pull it off again. We are capable, we know that."
Sammy added: "I think we will definitely get a very good cricket pitch. The head groundsman at Beausejour got good ratings for the pitch from the last series we played there against Australia. Judging from that last series …the pitch should be an excellent one where there is something in it for the bowlers, and the batsmen would enjoy it cause the ball will come on to the bat."
In the day’s other match, Guyana will face Jamaica in a bid to stay in contention for a Play-off spot at 4 pm (3 pm Jamaica Time).
Fans in the region can watch the entire tournament live on ESPN Caribbean – the broadcast partner of the West Indies Cricket Board. Additional coverage is available on ESPN’s Networks in the UK, Australia, Middle East and Africa. In Canada, fans can see the action via the Titan GSG Media Corporation.
FULL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
(AT QUEEN’S PARK OVAL, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad)
Sunday, January 6
Trinidad & Tobago vs Jamaica – Match abandoned due to rain
Monday, January 7
Barbados beat Leeward Islands by 9 wickets
Guyana beat Combined Campuses & Colleges by 2 wickets
Tuesday, January 8
Barbados beat Jamaica by 5 wickets
T&T beat CCC by 7 wickets
Wednesday, January 9
Jamaica beat Windward Islands by 12 runs
T&T beat Leeward Islands by 95 runs
Thursday, January 10
Windwards beat CCC by 42 runs
Guyana beat Barbados by 42 runs
Friday, January 11
Leeward Islands vs Jamaica – TIE (Jamaica won one-over eliminator)
CCC beat Barbados by 12 runs
Saturday, January 12
Windwards beat Leeward by 10 runs
Trinidad & Tobago beat Guyana by 80 runs
(AT BEAUSEJOUR CRICKET GROUND, Gros Islet, St. Lucia)
Tuesday, January 15
Guyana vs Jamaica – 4 p.m.
Windward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago – 8 p.m.
Wednesday, January 16
Combined Campuses & Colleges vs Leeward Islands – 4 p.m.
Barbados vs Trinidad & Tobago – 8 p.m.
Thursday, January 17
Leeward Islands vs Guyana – 4 p.m.
Windward Islands vs Barbados – 8 p.m.
Friday, January 18
Combined Campuses & Colleges vs Jamaica – 4 p.m.
Windward Islands vs Guyana – 8 p.m.
Saturday, January 19
Play-off: 2nd Place vs 3rd Place – 8 p.m.
Sunday, January 20
Grand Final: 1st Place vs Winner of Play-off – 8 p.m.
POINTS STANDINGS
|
TEAMS |
M |
W |
L |
NR |
P |
NRR |
|
Trinidad & Tobago |
4 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
+3.352 |
|
Jamaica |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
-0.731 |
|
Windwards |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
+0.702 |
|
Barbados |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
+0.685 |
|
Guyana |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
-0.616 |
|
CCC |
4 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
-0.647 |
|
Leewards |
4 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
-2.302 |