Harper wants Warriors to play smart cricket in T&T
Aug 09, 2017 , http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....smart-cricket-in-tt/
By Sean Devers in Trinidad
in association with Carib Beer,
Mings Products & Services, VNet Communications
& Rose Hall Youth & Sports Club
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots (SKNP) had never beaten Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) in the five-year history of the CPL cricket but after two games over the weekend in Florida, new skipper Chris Gayle had led SKNP the back to back wins against the GAW.
Warriors Head Coach, former West Indies off-spinner Roger Harper told Kaieteur Sport yesterday from the Hyatt Hotel in Port-of –Spain that his biggest disappointment from the Florida leg of the CLP was the Warriors not coming away with a win.
“We had opportunities but did not make the most of them and did not finish off matches that we should have won,” said the 54-year-old Harper.
Harper said he was surprised at the way the pitch played in America.
“Yes I was surprised. Last year the pitch was much harder and faster but this year it was slow and hard for shot making. I was also surprised that the crowds were so small since last year we saw large crowds for our games,” the 6ft 5inch Guyanese said.
Skipper Martin Guptill missed Sunday’s due to hamstring injury which some suspects he came into the tournament with and Harper informed that the Warriors’ best batsman, especially in the absence of injury Chris Lynn who was replaced by Babar Azam, was working with the phyiso and would have to wait and see if is fit enough to play on Friday.
The Warriors lost in the 2013, 2014 & 2016 finals, while they reached the semi-finals in 2015 and are scheduled to play their third game in the 2017 Tournament on Friday night from 21:00hrs under lights against the Trinbago Knight Riders at the Queen Park Oval.
“First of all we have a couple of days to practice and have a look at the conditions and then come up with the best combination. This is an important game and I am looking to the guys to play smart cricket,” Harper concluded.
The team’s charted flight was delayed in Florida due to weight issues and arrived here on Monday evening. The South American Franchise was given the day off yesterday and will have their first practice session after lunch today at the Queen’s Park Oval.