By Neto Baptiste
Leeward Islands Hurricanes all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall is looking forward to the team’s opener in the CG United Super50 against West Indies Academy here on Saturday, but warns that the young and ambitious squad must not be taken for granted.
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show ahead of Saturday’s match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (SVRS), Cornwall said Group B, which also includes regional powerhouses Jamaica Scorpions and Barbados Pride, will be a tough one to navigate.
“This emerging players [West Indies Academy] is a bunch of guys you can’t underestimate and you can’t take them for granted because they are under-19s or under-23s. We still have to go and play good and competitive cricket, no matter who the opponent is. We have a very tough group with Jamaica and Barbados but we still have to go and play positive cricket. With the players coming back from the World Cup, there is a lot of hype and they would want to come and preform based on what happened in the World Cup. We just have to stick to our plan and go out there and play hard cricket,” he said.
Hurricanes and West Indies Academy will clash in a day/night fixture scheduled to bowl off at 1pm at the North Sound venue.
Cornwall said the goal is to get to the final of the championships.
“It has to be a complete team effort. We can’t leave nothing for a next person to do, so everybody had to come together as a group and I think that once we do that and do it consistently, there is no doubt we could make the final,” the Antiguan said.
Meanwhile, a member of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) media relations team, Dario Barthley, revealed that a cost will be attached to all matches, except those scheduled for Independence Day at both the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
“That day is actually free but otherwise the preliminary matches are US $5, the semifinals US $10 and the final is US $15. Antigua has the round that will be broadcast live on ESPN Caribbean and our other worldwide broadcasters, so the matches that are played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium will all be live on ESPN,” he said.
On Independence Day, Leeward Islands will take on Jamaica Scorpions at the SVRS starting at 1pm, while West Indies Academy face Barbados Pride at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.