Port of Spain, Trinidad — Trinidad and Tobago wicket-keeper/batsman Nicholas Pooran has revealed that he has recovered from the worst aspects of his leg injury sustained in a car accident earlier this year and is looking forward to fighting for a place in the Red Force squad ahead of the 2015/16 WICB Professional Cricket League (PCL) season which begins November 6.
Pooran’s talent turned heads during the inaugural edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in 2013 when he struck 54 off 24 balls for the TT Red Steel against the Guyana Amazon Warriors. His stupefying 143 not out versus Australia in the 2014 Under-19 World Cup convinced skeptics of his immense ability.
“I’m almost fully recovered, the worst of the injury is over since I took out the screws from my knees two weeks ago and some stitches out today (yesterday)”, said the 19-year-old.
Having missed the Red Force Super50 triumph earlier this year and CPL 2015 with St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Pooran stated that it has been difficult dealing with what has been the first serious cricket injury of his young career.
“It has been very tough because I wanted to play cricket. I thought I had a good chance of playing in the CPL, but physio (Oba Gulston) told me it would have been too much of a risk.
“I am not contracted for the PCL, so right now I hoping to get back on the field by mid-September to get involved in some of the national team trial matches in order to make the team,” explained Pooran.
Meanwhile national coach and former West Indies middle-order batsman Gus Logie noted while he is pleased with the progress Pooran is making regarding his injury, he won’t rush his transition back into national colours.
Logie also revealed that the Red Force training camp for the 2015/16 domestic season begins today and they plan to play at least three practice matches before the opening round.
“We started doing some individual work with players last week, but full practice with most of the players begins this week.
“The aim is to have trials in September with at least three practice (matches), involving Under-19 players, and Tobago players and instead of having these matches solely at the National Cricket Centre, we hope to play them at different venues around the country,” explained Logie.
RED FORCE 2015/16 Contracted Players: Rayad Emrit (captain), Yannic Cariah, Kevon Cooper, Steven Katwaroo, Imran Khan, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Kjorn Ottley, Ravi Rampaul, Marlon Richards, Kyle Hope, Nkrumah Bonner, Akeal Hosein, Jeremy Solozano, Yannick Ottley.