PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Dashing opener Adrian Barath has his eyes on a return to the Club Champions League.
The 20-year-old was a member of the successful Trinidad and Tobago side which played unbeaten to reach the final of last year’s competition, before losing in the final to Australian unit New South Wales Blues.
“We went to the Champions League last year and we want to go back,” the right-hander said emphatically.
“It is a milestone for any team to go to the Champions League. We had a tremendous time last year. It was a great experience playing in front of those huge crowds and it was special the way we performed as a team. It is something every cricketer would love to experience.”
Trinidad and Tobago are the reigning regional Twenty20 champions, after winning the now defunct Stanford 20/20 tournament back in 2008.
They are also the defending 50-overs champions after winning last October’s President’s Cup but Barath said capturing the upcoming Caribbean T20 would not be easy.
“Our main objective is to win the Caribbean T20 and after that look towards the Champions League,” he pointed out.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves and focus on the Champions League and lose track of what we have to do in the home tournament. The Caribbean T20 won’t be a walk in the park.
“We are playing against some very good teams with some very talented players. Everyone will be playing hard and everyone wants to win. That will make it a very interesting tournament and we know it will be very competitive.”
Barath’s personal form will come under scrutiny. The young talent has struggled with injury since he burst onto the international scene last November with a superb century on Test debut against the might Australia Down Under.
He has not played international cricket since the Zimbabwe series in March though he participated in the lucrative Indian Premier League with the Kings XI Punjab.
However, Barath said the build-up to the July 22-31 tournament in Barbados and T&T had been encouraging.
“I have not played any ‘real’ cricket since the IPL so it was good to get back in the action earlier this week,” he said.
“I got a half-century in the first match so that was very good. I am feeling strong again and I’m really looking forward to the Caribbean T20.
“It was good to get some batting under my belt and it was good to get acclimatised to the conditions in Barbados. I’m feeling really confident with my form going into the tournament.”
Trinidad and Tobago will play in Zone A alongside Canada, Jamaica and Leeward Islands.