Four-Day Title Showdown in Trinidad: Harpy Eagles aim for decisive victory against Red Force

The Queen’s Park Oval is set for a high-stakes encounter as the Guyana Harpy Eagles and Trinidad and Tobago Red Force lock horns in the final round of the 2025 West Indies Four-Day Championship, with the title hanging firmly in the balance.

Despite holding a slender 6.2-point lead, Harpy Eagles captain Tevin Imlach has made it clear: his side is hunting an outright victory, not just first-innings points.

The match, commencing today at 10:00h, pits the defending champions, the Harpy Eagles, who are aiming for their eighth title in ten seasons, against a Red Force outfit desperate to end a title drought stretching back to 2006.

Red Force skipper Joshua Da Silva echoed Imlach’s eagerness for the contest, acknowledging the significance of this final showdown.

Both captains emphasized the need for clinical execution in what promises to be a final-like atmosphere.

Da Silva admitted his side was under pressure after a heavy defeat in the previous round but insisted the team remained upbeat and focused on rectifying their mistakes, particularly in the fielding department. He highlighted the importance of taking 20 wickets to secure victory.

Imlach, on the other hand, exuded a calm confidence, emphasizing the Harpy Eagles’ consistent good cricket throughout the season.

While acknowledging the team’s winning culture and development system, he remained grounded, focusing solely on executing their plans in this crucial encounter.

When asked about speculation linking him to the West Indies Test captaincy, Imlach remained humble, stating his primary focus was on performing for Guyana.

With the weather in Port of Spain potentially playing a factor and both teams anticipating low-spin conditions, pace and precision could be key.

Imlach stressed the need to adapt quickly to the Queen’s Park Oval surface, while Da Silva hoped for a full game to allow the best team to prevail.

The Harpy Eagles, fresh off a hard-fought draw against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, will rely on their leading run-scorers, Imlach and Kevlon Anderson, both among the top ten batsmen this season, to counter a potentially potent Red Force bowling attack on their home turf.

The Harpy Eagles currently lead the standings with 111.6 points, with the Red Force in second place with 105.4 points.

The winner of the four-day title will receive US$250,000, and the second-placed team will receive US$100,000.

Red Force squad: Joshua Da Silva (captain), Brian Charles (vice-captain), Vikash Mohan, Kjorn Ottley, Amir Jangoo, Jason Mohammed, Tion Webster, Anderson Phillip, Shannon Gabriel, Terrance Hinds, Jyd Goolie, Yannic Cariah, Khary Pierre.

Harpy Eagles Squad: Tevin Imlach (captain), Kemol Savory (vice-captain), Kevlon Anderson, Matthew Nandu, Raymond Perez, Kevin Sinclair, Keemo Paul, Nial Smith, Veerasammy Permaul, Ronaldo Alimohamed, Richie Looknauth, Ashmead Nedd and Isai Thorne.