T&T team will train from 9am to 11 today at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.

STORY BY GUARDIAN SPORTS DESK

W Connection midfielder Aurtis Whitley is set to wear the captain’s band for the T&T squad against England on Sunday.

Whitley is one of only six members of the Soca Warriors squad that served on the T&T World Cup team in Germany. He had not played for T&T for close to a year under sacked coach Wim Rijsbergen made a return to the national team earlier this year in a 1-0 win over El Salvador in which he also wore the captain’s arm-band.

Since then he has led the team in matches against Jamaica and Grenada, only missing the Barbados match through injury.

However, he has fully recovered and despite the presence of England-based stars Clayton Ince and Stern John in the squad, coach Francisco Maturana has kept the faith in him.

Looking ahead to the match Maturana has played down the absence of invited player Dwight Yorke from the team as he readies his squad for the start of the 2010 South Africa World Concacaf Second Round Qualifiers against Bermuda on June 15 and 22.

Maturana felt it would be inappropriate to have Yorke in his squad as he is focusing on building and preparing a team for the World Cup Qualifiers and the Colombian has stated that he would like to stick to his current core of players.

“We see this as a very important preparation match against England and we want to use the players who will be part of the squad that will help us get to the next World Cup. This is not an exhibition match,” Maturana said. "I have a lot of respect for Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy. I have seen them play and they are fantastic players but we are working towards the next World Cup," Maturana said.

The Colombian-born coach did say however that he would still consider Yorke for future matches if the Sunderland utility player would commit towards helping his country in the campaign towards qualifying for South Africa.

“With all due respect, the TTFF did invite both Dwight and Russell for this game because it’s an affair to mark a significant milestone in the country’s football history. But the coach had the final say and he wants to take a team into Sunday’s game that he can rely on for the qualifying campaign. And, unfortunately, he doesn’t have that confirmation from Yorke and we know Russell has hung up his international boots. The coach has said that he holds them in the highest regards and so does the Football Federation," said T&TFF spokesman Shaun Fuentes.

by Nigel Simon, Trinidad Guardian

Retired T&T internationals and former captains, Dwight Yorke of Sunderland FC and Falkirk’s Russell Latapy have turned down the invitation by T&T Football Federation special advisor, Fifa vice-president Austin Jack Warner to play against England on Sunday.

Warner, president of Concacaf had initially hinted that both Yorke and Latapy, the country’s most accomplished footballers could feature in the match as the final bow in their international careers.

Both players, however, have decided against making the brief return to the team, despite the match being played in front of what is expected to be a sold-out crowd of 22,500 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 5.30 pm on Sunday.

Yorke, who featured often enough in Roy Keane’s Sunderland side, and had a stand-out game in the last meeting between the teams in the World Cup in 2006, is still considering his football future beyond T&T’s match against England but could go on the back room staff at Sunderland as part of Keane’s managerial set-up.

Latapy, on the other hand, is also eyeing another year in the Scottish Premier League with Falkirk having already stated his willingness to continue playing despite nearing the age of 40.

by Philip Spooner

KINGSTON, Jamaica - The West Indies will be batting for an historic victory when the 1st Digicel Test resumes at Sabina Park on Monday at 9:30 am (Jamaica Time).

Speaking after a thrilling fourth day on Sunday, vice captain Dwayne Bravo said the mood in the camp was upbeat and the Windies believe they could reach the victory target of 287 and topple Australia.

If the West Indies reach the target it would be the highest fourth innings victory chase at the ground. The West Indies will resume 46-1, with Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan and Devon Smith at the crease.

"The game is even at this point and for sure we will be going for a victory. As the West Indies, we had a very good four days and come tomorrow (Monday) we will be trying to pull off a win. That would be very important. Once we bat properly and ensure we don't loose early wickets I'm sure we're going to win the game," said Bravo, who took 4-47 to rout Australia for 167 in the second innings.

"It is very important that we kick off this series with a win. That would do our confidence a world of good to ensure we don't have to play catch-up cricket in the rest of the series."

Bravo praised his teammates for their performance in the field throughout the match and also gave kudos to fast bowlers Fidel Edwards and Daren Powell, who took three wickets each. Edwards ended with match figures of 8-144.

"Our fielding has been very good and we took all the chances which came to us. The guys have been putting in 100 percent and more and that's one of the reason we have been looking so good. Our bowlers were up to the task and put us right back into the game," Bravo said.

Responding to allegations by FIFA Vice President Jack Warner - who happens to be a Deputy Political Leader of this country's main opposition party - Trinidad and Tobago's Sports Minister Gary Hunt said the Government was not being unreasonable in requesting that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation sign a "simple lease" document. Hunt denied that Government's demands for renting the Hasely Crawford stadium for the international friendly between the Soca Warriors and England's football team were too onerous.

He said the Government is asking for only TT$150,000 or 10% or gate sales (whichever is greater). He said this is not onerous because the TTFF expects to make TT$8-9 million in gate receipts, TT$2.8 million for the primary board advertising, and television rights estimated at US$40 million.

"The Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs is committed that this match comes off," Hunt assured.

He said the move by the Ministry of Sport had nothing to do with politics but merely that the Government is trying to professionalise its operations and bring them on par with international standards.

"Yes, we are willing to negotiate that fee," Hunt told reporters at a press conference at his office minutes ago.

"There are international conventions which speak against tobacco and alcohol in sport," Hunt said explaining why the lease agreement prohibits the advertising of the former and the latter during the match.

Hunt who appeared to be willing to negotiate most items of the controversial lease agreement said, "Given the circumstances we are willing to look at that."

"I want to state categorically that I have had no disagreements with Mr. Warner. I have never, ever said anything negative about Mr. Warner in the media and I will maintain my composure," Hunt said.

He reiterated that the requests are not unreasonable and that the rental fees for use of the stadium are not high.

ST JOHN’S—Injury has forced West Indies captain Chris Gayle out of the 14-man squad announced Friday for the opening Test against Australia starting next Thursday in Jamaica.

Gayle is still suffering from a groin injury and Ramnaresh Sarwan will lead the squad in his absence.

There are no surprises in the squad though batsman Runako Morton and Brenton Parchment, who missed out against the Sri Lankans, have been included.

The left-handed Gayle has been struggling with the injury since the final One-Day International of the three-match series against Sri Lanka last month.

It forced him out of the Indian Premier League where he had been contracted to the Kolkata Knight Riders for US$800 000.

After impressing selectors with his leadership on the tour of South Africa earlier this year, Gayle was named captain for the Sri Lanka series where the Windies drew the Test series 1-1 and won the ODI series 3-0.

Sarwan, from whom Gayle took over as captain, will now lead the squad for the first Test at Sabina Park.

Morton, who scored heavily in the latter stages of the Carib Cup competition, makes a return to the squad and will be joined by Parchment, who played one Test against South Africa earlier this year in January.

After a wretched tour of South Africa, the right-handed Morton plundered 414 runs in three Carib Cup matches to keep himself in the selectors’ memory.

The 25-year old Parchment, in contrast, managed just 107 runs from his three matches for Jamaica, after returning from South Africa.