THE Trinidad and Tobago Red Force begin their CG United Super50 Cup title defence today against Combined Campuses and Colleges. But the home side is not sure what to expect from the pitch at the Sir Frank Worrell Ground at UWI SPEC in St Augustine. “I don’t think there is home advantage because when we turn up we don’t know exactly what we gonna get,” stand-in Red Force coach Rayad Emrit told the Express after practice yesterday.
“Here at UWI, we saw last year it was a struggle to get runs. Can guarantee you again this year there’s going to be the same thing if not worse. Having looked at the pitch, haven’t seen any sort of preparation going into the pitches,” he added.
Last year, in a tournament also staged in T&T, there was an average score of 223 in 12 completed innings at St Augustine. However, Emrit is depending on the professionalism of his players to deal with whatever lies ahead of them, starting today. “We just have to work with what we have,” he said.
As was the case last season, the clash between the Red Force and CCC—led this season by Shamarh Brooks—will begin the eight-team competition that will culminate in the final on November 23. Last year, this fixture ended in a no-result at the Queen’s Park Oval. Skipper Joshua Da Silva, who takes over in the 50-over format from Darren Bravo, will be hoping for kinder weather, and for his players to adapt quickly to the conditions.
“We still don’t know what wicket we’re getting here, so I t.
