by LOUIS HOLDER in St Vincent

LIVINGSTON COPPIN, manager of the Barbados Under-19 team, is confident Barbados can emerge as champions of the TCL Under-19 Cricket Challenge Trophy, when the final takes place here at the Arnos Vale ground today.

Coppin was speaking yesterday on the eve of the match in which Barbados will meet Trinidad and Tobago.

"We are eagerly looking forward to this final. The last game against Jamaica was a bit tight, in that we had a few of the fellows on the injury list, but for this game, we should have all of the guys fully fit again, and we should have a better selection this time around," he told NATIONSPORT.

Coppin was referring to the unavailability of their leading batsman Shamarh Brooks (190 runs in three innings) and captain Nicholas Squires, for the last match against Jamaica.

Brooks suffered a serious stomach ailment just before the match, and Squires had a recurring knee injury. Both are expected to take their places

in the team today.

According to Coppin, they are taking the match against Trinidad and Tobago seriously. "We haven't seen them yet, but I imagine any team that reaches the final would have the potential to win, so we are going to take this game very seriously," he said.

Both teams have similar results coming into the final, with two victories and one loss each. While Barbados will be looking to their proven allround strength to come out victors, Trinidad and Tobago will be banking heavily on their spin attack.

Javon Searles, with 14 wickets so far, is one of the leading fast bowlers in the tournament, and along with fellow pacer Kemar Roach, who missed the first match, with six wickets, and spinners Steve Pinder (12 wickets), and Nicholai Charles with seven wickets, the Barbados attack seems formidable on any given day.

Spin twins for Trinidad and Tobago, Sunil Narine and Rashi Barchan have borne the brunt of their side's bowling. Off-spinner Narine, with 23 wickets and left arm spinner Barchan with 15 wickets, are expected to give the Barbadians batsmen a lot

to think about.

Once the weather holds fair the next four days promise to be intriguing. Late yesterday afternoon there were some dark clouds hovering over the Kingstown area, and there was a downpour just after three o' clock.