T&T coach set on picking up pieces

Coach of the Trinidad and Tobago senior cricket team David Williams is putting the setback of their ten-wicket loss to the Windwards behind them, and is looking forward with hope to his team’s other five matches in the West Indies Cricket Board four-day tournament.{{more}}

Trinidad and Tobago batted first and were dismissed for 179, to which the Windwards responded with 260.

Batting a second time, the Trinidadians made a paltry 86, giving the Windwards the mere formality of six runs to win, which they obliged, without losing a wicket.

“This is just the first game for us, and we are a team like that; sometimes we start well and we go into competition, so that’s cricket. We just have put this one behind us and look forward to the other games”, Williams told SEARCHLIGHT last Sunday at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Williams said that they did not compete in the bowling or batting departments, on what he deemed “a good pitch”.

“When you play badly, you will lose…. We just didn’t bat well in the first innings, then again in the second innings. We didn’t bowl as well as we should on that pitch either. I think we bowled a little bit too short and Windwards made 260 with an 80-run lead”, Williams, a former T & T and West Indies wicket keeper noted.

“….Getting bowled out for 86 was really disastrous,” Williams emphasised.

An obviously disappointed Williams said “As professionals, you have to go out there and bat for your team and bat for yourself.”

Prior to the match, Trinidad and Tobago manager Omar Khan listed the Windwards and Leewards as the teams targetted to get maximum points.

“Well, it might be a little bit of complacency, but the guys didn’t necessarily bat as well as they could; they just took it for granted that we can go out there and get runs… We have some experienced guys and maybe with the experienced guys in our team that is what probably caused a little bit of complacency,” Williams advanced.

The Trinidadians were playing their first match in this year’s competition, as they sat out the first round, as Carnival celebrations were held in their country.

But Williams believes that the team was prepared enough to give a better showing against the Windwards.

Williams stated that despite having a better head to head record in regional cricket against the Windwards; Williams acknowledged his opponents’ fighting spirit.

T & T’s next match in the four-day competition is against the Leewards at Warner Park in St Kitts.(RT)