Dave“Tadpole” Mohammed will be trying to keep Leonson Lewis and Philbert Jones at bay, while Michael Maurice will have his hands full with Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh in the penalty area.
In an effort to raise funds for the West Indies Players Association’s disaster relief fund, a team of former and current West Indies cricketers will come up against the famed T&T 1989 Strike Squad in a football match to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Ivan.
This was revealed at a media conference yesterday the Courtyard by Marriot hotel in Port-of-Spain. The match will be played at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, on August 13, and will be used to help affected Grenadians and Jamaicans.
Among the players on the West Indies team are Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, as well as Dwayne Bravo and Chris Gayle. The team will be skippered by WIPA vice president Wavell Hinds. WIPA has contracted Omar Khan as the manager of the team, while sporting administrator Colin Murray will serve as coach.
The Strike Squad, which narrowly missed out on qualification for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, will be led by Clayton Morris and will include the players who campaigned for this country’s elusive spot in the greatest footballing showpiece. Back on the bench will be coach Everald “Gally” Cummings, with former director of sport Neville Chance as manager.
Both camps were present at the conference yesterday to indicate that the match will be very competitive.
WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine said the idea of the match came about because of the need to assist the West Indies supporters in Grenada and Jamaica. WIPA launched a disaster relief fund late last year to which the players contributed US$16,000. This figure was matched by WIPA’s official bankers, First Citizens Bank.
Ramnarine said much more was needed to assist the people, and it was out of this that the idea of the match was born.
Morris said this was a very good initiative by WIPA and the footballers were very committed to the cause.
Admission is $50 and fans will have the opportunity to get autographs from the sporting heroes.
The Line-ups
West Indies:
Wavell Hinds (capt), Curtly Ambrose, Devon Smith, Pedro Collins, Fidel Edwards, Ian Bradshaw, Chris Gayle, Richard Smith, Mervyn Dillon, Courtney Walsh, Marlon Samuels, Carlton Baugh Jr, Keno Mason, Dwayne Bravo, Dave Mohammed, Dinanath Ramnarine and David Williams
Manager: Omar Khan
Coach: Colin Murray
T&T Strike Squad:
Michael Maurice, Clayton Morris, Brian Williams, Dexter Francis, Floyd Lawrence, Marvin Faustin, Dexter Cyrus, Hutson Charles, Larry Joseph, Leonson Lewis, kelvin Jones, Maurice Alibey, Philbert Jones, Russel Munroe, Alvin Thomas, Kerry Jamerson, Ross Russell, Dexter Lee, Lawrence George
Manager: Neville Chance
Coach: Everald Cummings