PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Trinidad and Tobago coach Kelvin Williams says his players are growing in confidence ahead of their semi-final showdown with Jamaica, who remain unbeaten in the NAGICO Super50 tournament.The first semi-final takes place today when the Trinidadians square-off with Zone A winners Jamaica, who qualified from their group with three straight victories.
Williams says his players are not ruffled by the rampaging Jamaicans, who are without two of their top players.
“I think to win the tournament we have to beat everybody that is in front of us,” declared Williams.
“Jamaica will be a good game because they’re three-out-of-three (in Zone A) and they’re the form team. At the end of the day it’s what happens on the day that counts and we’re growing in confidence.”
T&T suffered a major setback when they lost their opening match against Barbados.
However, they bounced back to reel off resounding wins against the Leeward Islands and Combined Campuses and Colleges to book their spot in the last four.
“The most important thing is we can’t be complacent,” Williams said.
“So long as we’re not complacent we will get there (in the final).”
Williams has expressed confidence in his new batting opening pair of Evin Lewis and Lendl Simmons.
Lewis scored a 27-ball 44 while Simmons scored a 41-ball 31 to help Trinidad defeat Combined Campuses and Colleges in their last match.
“We tried something (changing the lineup) and it worked,” he said.
“I was quite pleased with what I saw. We were confident that Evin would come good last night (Sunday).” Matches will be played at Queen’s Park Oval.
The first semi-final between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago begins 14:00hrs (13:00hrs Jamaica Time) today.
FULL SQUADS
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Dwayne Bravo (captain), Adrian Barath, Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Jason Mohammed, Denesh Ramdin (wicketkeeper), Rayad Emrit, Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Imran Khan, Yannick Ottley, Shannon Gabriel, Kevon Cooper; Kelvin Williams (coach)
JAMAICA: David Bernard Jr (captain), Nikita Miller (vice-captain), Andre Russell, Carlton Baugh Jr (wicketkeeper), Tamar Lambert, Andrew Richardson, Horace Miller, John Campbell, Jermaine Blackwood, Andre McCarthy, Sheldon Cottrell, Jerome Taylor, Nkrumah Bonner, Kenar Lewis; Junior Bennett (coach).
