Parkites name strong NGC T20 squad
Monday, March 28 2016
A STRONG Queen’s Park Cricket Club squad has been selected for the NGC Group T20 Festival which takes place from March 31 to April 15 at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.
The Parkites have selected West Indies players Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Darren Bravo and Shannon Gabriel in an effort to better their runners-up performance last year.
The Tragarete Road, Port-of-Spain club is also bolstered by Kevon Cooper, Nicholas Pooran, Javon Searles, Yannic Cariah, Daron Cruickshank, Miguel Cummins and Justin Guillen who have a wealth of experience playing in the Caribbean Premier League or at the regional level.
Only Anthony Balgobin, Terrance Hinds, Khary Pierre and Tion Webster have not played List “A†or First Class cricket. However, they have been part of the Queen’s Park set-up for some time and are seasoned players in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board domestic tournaments.
Pollard has been recovering from a knee injury and played for Queen’s Park in a warm-up match against Loughborough University on Friday at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of- Spain. All-rounder, Akeal Hosein scored a half-century against Loughborough University and looks in good touch.
Wicketkeeper Balgobin believes that this year Queen’s Park will not fall at the final hurdle but go all the way and win the NGC Group T20 Festival and the $100,000 cash prize.
“I think we will go all this way this year.
We have been playing good cricket throughout the season and with the guys who were playing regional cricket back in the side we will have a very good team that is capable if winning the T20 tournament,†said Balgobin.
The former national Under-19 vice-captain acknowledged that there is some uncertainty about the availability of Pollard and Narine for the entirety of the NGC Group T20 Festival but believes there is enough quality in the squad to ensure success.
Despite listing a strong squad “on paper†the 27-yearold is not taking anything for granted at the NGC Group T20 Festival.
“Cricket is a funny sport and it is about eleven versus eleven on the day. We cannot take anything for granted and it is important we stay focused and execute our plans on the day,†said Balgobin.
Tickets for theT20 Festival are $20 for group matches, $40 for quarter-finals and semis, and $60 for the final. Children under 12 years of age are free.
QUEEN’S PARK SQUAD: Justin Guillen, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Kevon Cooper, Akeal Hosein, Sunil Narine, Khary Pierre, Daron Cruickshank, Anthony Balgobin, Shannon Gabriel, Jeremy Solozano, Yannic Cariah, Tion Webster, Terrance Hinds, Marlon Barclay, Javon Searles, Miguel Cummins.
NGC T20 Festival Group A: Queen’s Park, Prisons, Esmeralda, Caldrac Group B: Merry Boys, Clarke Road, Queen’s Park II, Calcutta Group C: PowerGen, Victoria, Cane Farm, Central Sports Group D: Preysal, Alescon Comets, Moosai Sports, Jenexcon Tableland
