T&T Captain Mohammed pleased with Red Force display

T&T Captain Mohammed pleased with Red Force display
Thursday, March 3 2016

JASON MOHAMMED, captain of the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, was pleased with the team’s display, as they brushed aside the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by nine wickets in their Regional Four Day Championships Round Eight battle at the National Cricket Centre, Couva.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Mohammed, after victory was secured on Monday. “We came home here expecting a victory after (winning) a good game against Jamaica. Playing against the Leeward Islands, probably the weakest team in the tournament, we (knew) we had to capitalise with a victory. So we’re happy right now.” The Hurricanes posted 225 and 287 in their respective innings, while the Red Force responded with 406 and 111/1.

“I think we’ve been improving game-by-game with the bat, especially this game,” noted the Red Force skipper. “To score 400-odd runs in the first innings and 100- odd for one wicket in the second innings, it seems like we’re improving.

Let’s see if we can keep it up for the next two games.” Mohammed’s predecessor as captain, Rayad Emrit, was unable to participate, with both bat and ball, after suffering a right knee injury on the third morning of the match.

Mohammed pointed out, “he did something, I think his knee went out of place. I think he should be okay, with a bit of therapy, for the next game.” The Red Force moved up to third place in the six-team standings with 74, with the Jamaica Scorpions (63) slipping to fourth, followed by the Windward Islands Volcanoes (45) and the Hurricanes (39). The Guyana Jaguars seem on course to defending their crown with a tally of 125, with the Barbados Pride next on 106.

“I think this (win) will give us a good momentum,” said Mohammed.

“If we can play two more good games and finish third, I think if we can do that it will be a good accomplishment for us.

Hopefully we can achieve that at the end of the day.” What may have sparked the turnaround in the team’s Four Day fortunes? Mohammed replied, “coming out of the game in Guyana, we were a bit disappointed because we had the upper hand on them in the first two days and we let it slip when we batted. “We didn’t want anything to repeat again, hence the reason we’re fighting a bit harder now.

Things are going our way and hopefully they can continue to go so.” He is uncertain if there will be any chances to the team ahead of the Ninth Round fixture against the Pride, at Couva, from March 11-14.

“I don’t know yet,” he said. “I think Shannon Gabriel and Darren Bravo might be available.

If they’re available, there will definitely be changes, both in the team and in the (starting) 11. I don’t know if they’re available for the next game. We’ll just have to wait and see.”