Former Trinidad and Tobago youth cricketer Crystian Thurton feels he is ready to make the step up to regional senior team cricket and despite not being part of the ongoing Red Force 50-over trials, the 24-year-old is focused on putting in the work to make it to the next level.
The TTCB would have invested in Thurton from a young age with the wicketkeeper/batter being part of all T&T youth teams from the Under-13 to the Under-23 levels. He would have also been part of the TTCB Cricket Academy in 2016.
And with a successful domestic season under his belt for Bess Motors Marchin Patriots in 2024, Thurton wants to know what more he needs to do in order get the opportunity to stake a claim for a spot in the senior T&T set-up.
Earlier this year Thurton boasted an average of 56.2 in the domestic 50 over competition which Marchin Patriots won. He scored 337 runs, which included a high-score of 119 in that campaign.
He also averaged 40.1 in the domestic red-ball league, scoring 401 runs in ten innings with a high-score of 115. In the T20 Festival, Thurton tallied 167 runs in three innings with a high-score of 90 at an average of 55.7.
Asked what he would say to head coach David Furlonge and new chairman of selectors Gibran Mohammed if he had the chance to speak with them face-to-face, Thurton said the main question he would ask is “Why?”
“The stats are there and it speaks for itself so that is the main question. What more do I have to do? If you look at my stats you should not have to ask that,” he told the Sunday Express.
He continued: “To me it was a bit disappointing (not being part of the 50-over trials). At the start of the season, that was one of my main goals, to be part of the trials first.
“Obviously, a player is not just going to walk into a T&T team. There are a lot of talented players around but I think I deserve the opportunity to be a part of the trials and to try and make the side.”
“Yes, I feel I am ready. Obviously, the step up from club level to first-class cricket is a bigger step but I think I am ready for that. You also want to be part of the set-up so you can try to raise your level and gain experience,” the former St Benedict’s College player added.
“I had good performances but unfortunately, I am not around (the trials). Even though I was not called to trials, I would not let that stop me. I always try to stay in top form so getting a call to train with CCC, that is a plus for me and I am looking forward to that right now,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Red Force selection policy has come under fire with Marchin Patriots president Adrian Ali calling for it to be made public after Thurton was allegedly not invited for 50-over trials. However, the Sunday Express was informed that efforts were made to invite the player to train with the national team but he did not show up.
On Saturday, the TTCB announced the squads for the second 50-over trial match which takes place tomorrow at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, in Tarouba, from 9 a.m.
Joshua Da Silva will be leading one of the squads and Amir Jangoo will captain the other. Included in the squads were Khary Pierre and Mikkel Govia, who were both part of the St Lucia Kings team that won the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League earlier this month.
Thurton was again omitted from the trial squads. Ali fumed at the apparent lack of proper communication between the Red Force management/selectors and the players who are being considered for national duty.
Ali, via a post on the club’s Facebook page on Friday, called for greater transparency in the selection process.
He also criticised the method used to invite players to trials saying “a more thorough effort” should have been made to reach out to Thurton.
He also questioned why the Super50 training squad wasn’t publicly posted on the TTCB social media platforms or sent to the newspapers and news channels as would have been done in the past.
“Transparency and direct communication are essential,” Ali said. “Talented players like Thurton should not be sidelined due to miscommunication or political games within the system. Let’s hope for a fair and transparent resolution that benefits both the player and the future of Trinidad and Tobago cricket,” he concluded.
RED FORCE TRIAL SQUADS:
DA SILVA XI: Joshua Da Silva (captain), Kjorn Ottley, Mark Deyal, Isaiah Rajah, Jason Mohammed, Yannic Cariah, Andrew Rambaran, Khary Pierre, Bryan Charles, Anderson Phillip, Justin Manick, Abdul Raheem Topin, Daniel Williams.
JANGOO XI: Amir Jangoo (captain), Cephas Cooper, Jyd Goolie, Tion Webster, Vikash Mohan, Jordan Warner, Joshua James, Navin Bidaisee, Shatrughan Rambaran, Mikkel Govia, Shaaron Lewis, Aadian Racha, Matheus Komal.