Cricket West Indies Championship

Ian Wason

Sport Correspondent

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Trinidad and Tobago Red Force have settled comfortably in Antigua as they pursue their first First-Class title in two decades.

The team arrived in the Leeward Islands on Thursday ahead of the opening match of their three-game series against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, in the 2026 Cricket West Indies Championship which bowls off tomorrow at Coolidge.

Head coach Rayad Emrit reported high morale within the camp, noting that the players are in good condition and ready for the challenge.

“Everybody is good and settling in well,” Emrit said. “We had our first training session this morning, and it was a productive one. Everyone is fit, and we were able to have an extended session today, which went well. We’re looking forward to another good session tomorrow.”

The squad includes Evin Lewis, who returns to the Red Force setup for the first time since 2017. His recall comes on the back of an impressive domestic season, having scored over 600 runs for Bess Motors Marchin Patriots in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board Premier Division One. Lewis also produced three consecutive centuries, including an unbeaten 232 against Merryboys.

Emrit also revealed that the pitch conditions at Coolidge were not quite what the team had anticipated.

“We had a look at the pitch, and it’s not exactly what we expected,” he said. “We were hearing that it would be grassy and offer a lot of assistance to the seamers. Instead, it looks a bit bare. They’ve put a lot of water into it, but it appears it could be a good batting surface.”

Despite the unexpected nature of the pitch, the former West Indies all-rounder remains confident in his bowling attack, which features a balanced mix of pace and spin. The unit includes West Indies fast bowlers Jayden Seales and Anderson Philip, along with spinner Khary Pierre, another West Indies bowler.

“Hopefully, our bowlers can still get the job done if it stays like this. Overall, it looks like a good pitch. The guys are settling in nicely, and everyone is fit and ready.”

Trinidad and Tobago will face the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in a three-match series under the tournament’s revamped format.