Lewis returns to Red Force; Solozano, Jaipaul miss out

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Veteran opening batsman Evin Lewis has been surprisingly named in Trinidad and Tobago’s Red Force squad for the upcoming West Indies Championship.

The 34-year-old, who last played first-class cricket for T&T in 2017, was included in a 13-member squad that will travel to Antigua for their three matches against the Leeward Islands Volcanoes beginning April 12.

Lewis has been rewarded for his outstanding performances with the bat during the ongoing Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board Premier Division Championships, where he has recorded scores of 232 not out against Merryboys, 113 against Powergen Penal and 106 against Prisons.

Lewis will replace the injured Lendl Simmons on the West Indies team for the World T20 tournament.

However, no room has been found for fellow opener Jeremy Solozano and left-arm spinner Ricky Jaipaul despite their impressive performances.

Solozano has scored 593 runs from 12 matches at an average of 74.1, while Jaipaul is the leading wicket taker in the Premier Division.

The experienced team will be led once again by Joshua Da Silva.

Head coach Rayad Emrit said selecting the final team had been very difficult.

“Solozano, yes, he scored a double century. We have Evin Lewis who has over 500 runs. We have Cephas Cooper, who has been scoring runs consistently in every single tournament that he played in.

“There’s also Ricky Jaipaul, who has the most wickets so far and still didn’t make the final 13, so it is very difficult. Navin Bidaisee, one of the younger players coming through the system has not been in the final 13,” Emrit said.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO SQUAD: Joshua Da Silva (captain), Cephas Cooper, Evin Lewis, Amir Jangoo, Jason Mohammed, Yannic Cariah, Terrence Hinds, Khary Pierre, Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip, Bryan Charles, Jyd Goolie and Joshua James.