… Smith is defending champion

NATIONAL all-rounder and NAGICO Super50 skipper Christopher Barnwell was last Monday afternoon seeded number four for this year’s edition of the Caribbean Single-Wicket Cricket Tournament (CSCT) which takes place at the University of the West Indies Oval in St Augustine, Trinidad tomorrow from 16:00hrs to 23:00hrs.Four cricketers who competed in the recently concluded 2014 Pepsi/Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 including defending champion and number one seed Dwayne Smith of Barbados, who guided Chennai Super Kings to the IPL qualifiers, will be battling for the top prize of US$7 000.

Smith defeated Barnwell, who was making his debut in the tournament, in last year’s final, after the Guyanese had disposed of the-then defending champion Lendl Simmons, who, along with Smith, Kieron Pollard and Kevon Cooper, forms the Pepsi/IPL quartet.
In an invited comment with Chronicle Sport yesterday afternoon after his training session with the local-based players of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, the 27-year-old Barnwell said he is very confident ahead of tomorrow’s tournament.
“Playing in the final last year against Dwayne Smith and ending as runner-up, I am heading into this year’s tournament brimming with confidence. As you are aware, cricket is a funny game and as you know that it is being played on the day and anything can happen.
However, I am pretty confident for this year’s edition, heading into the tournament with my form being good and I am looking forward to doing much better in this year’s edition, having my eye on the top prize,” said Barnwell.
Twelve top all-rounders from across the Caribbean, including the quintet mentioned above, will be competing in the innovative tournament which has over US$15 000 in cash and prizes up for grabs.
Pollard who is seeded number two behind Smith, will lead a Trinidad assault on the championship cup, with number three seed Simmons, Cooper, Reyad Emrit and emerging new talent Marlon Richards completing the home team’s assault on Smith’s reign.
Each of the seeded players will be in a separate group with two other all-rounders and the winner of each group will proceed to the knockout stage which involves two semifinals, from which the winners will compete in the grand final of the tournament. 15 games will be played during seven hours of cricket. There will be a music extravaganza.
Apart from the top prize of US$7 000 the tournament winner can earn more as individual prizes for best fieldsman, wicketkeeper, catches, run-outs and stumpings will be up for grabs as well.

(By Calvin Roberts)