Trinidad and Tobago Legions captain Joshua Da Silva believes leg-spinners can play a critical role in the April 25-May 10 West Indies T20 Breakout League which is being held at Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, and is backing TT's Navin Bidaisee to deliver the goods.
The two-week tournament bowls off with a clash between Guyana Rainforest Rangers and Windward Islands Infernos from 2 pm today, with home team Legions taking on Barbados Pelicans from 7 pm today in what is expected to be an intriguing match.
On April 24, the captains of the six regional teams addressed the media at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Port of Spain, and they stressed on the importance of the roles leg-spinners will play in the tournament. In the tournament draft, each team was required to select a leg-spinner as one of their seven protected picks, with TT drafting PowerGen Sport Club's Bidaisee to satisfy that criteria.
Per competition rules, the leg-spinners drafted as protected picks by the respective teams must play three of the five round-robin matches. And when they do play, they will be required to bowl at least three overs per game.
[caption id="attachment_1151909" align="alignnone" width="1024"] TT Legions captain Joshua Da Silva with the West Indies Breakout T20 League trophy during the media interaction with the six captains at the Hilton Hotel, Port of Spain on April 24. - Photo courtesy Daniel Prentice/CWI[/caption]
The skippers were asked about this rule and how it would impact on their strategies.
"I see them as a trump card," Da Silva said. "From (TT), we've had one of the best leg-spinners in Samuel Badree, so hopefully we can continue that trend in this tournament. It's a good challenge for all captains. I think it makes us think a little more and try to find ways to fit them even when they're bowling well."
He said their knack for taking wickets will be crucial for any captain.
"The leg-spinners are special, especially when it's their day. Not every day is going to be their day, but they're trump cards because they can get wickets whenever and these are people we look to for wickets. I expect my leg-spinner to bowl his full quota, so hopefully once they don't target him too much..."
Barbados skipper Nyeem Young has thrown his full support behind 18-year-old leg-spinner Zishan Motara to be a key cog for the Pelicans, while Guyanese captain Kemol Savory and Jamaican skipper Ramaal Lewis are backing their leg-spinners Riyad Latiff, 17, and Tamarie Redwood, 18, to spring some surprises in the tourney.
Windwards skipper and top-order batsman Alick Athanaze said the rule will be a tough one to navigate, but said the skippers must adjust for the sake of developing these spinners.
"The rule is tricky. If he bowls two bad overs, you wouldn't want to bring him back, especially if a batsman who's targeting him is still at the crease," Athanaze said.
"I guess it's probably a good opportunity to put him under pressure to see where they're at. When you look at how (the tournament) has been set up,
