Some of the nation’s top cricketers will turn out today for the start of the T&T Cricket Board Senior Interzone tournament, which bowls off at four venues across T&T.
On Friday, at the official launch of the new competition, at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva, Patrick Rampersad, chairman of the Organising Committee, expressed his pleasure that several outstanding current national players have made themselves available for the almost month-long competition that will involve the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) seven zonal affiliates, and Tobago.
The experienced cricket administrator, a third vice-president of the TTCB and president of Merryboys Cricket Club of Diego Martin said that after a lack of funding which severely crippled the ability to organise top-class competition, the National League competitions were re-aligned this season, and the traditional 50-Overs club tournament was sacrificed in an adjustment to the economic realities currently being experienced.
However, the TTCB made a decision to revamp the popular competition, but in an inter-zone format because it was felt that this form of the game has been one of the TTCB’s strengths, with the Red Force winning the regional competition 12 times while emerging as runner-up on at least four occasions.
Rampersad said that quite apart from placing this exciting version of the game back on the front burner, other great advantages include reviving inter-zone rivalry and most importantly giving at least 120 cricketers an opportunity to impress the national selectors and represent the Red Force at the Cricket West Indies Super 50-Overs tournament in October.
He said that four talent scouts have been appointed to take a close look at the overall performances in the competition and make recommendations to the senior selection panel. The talent scouts are national coaches Kelvin Williams, and David Williams; CWI Territorial Development Officer Kumar Rampat and national senior team manager Roland Sampath.
In giving an outline of the competition format, Rampersad said that the eight zones are divided into two groups with Group “A” comprising Tobago, North, South East and South; Group “A” includes South West, East, Central and North East. The first ball bowls off on Sunday, with two other rounds of preliminary action on Saturday, May 12 and Sunday, May 13.
Semi-finals, involving the two top teams in each group will be staged on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20, both at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, with the grand final set for May 26 at the National Cricket Centre Ground in Balmain, Couva.
Rampersad said that the Senior Inter-Zone competition will be embellished with the inclusion on the roster of registered players many West Indies, national and top club players including Daren Bravo, on his way back to regional Test selection, who is joined on the North Zone line-up by ICC Under-19 World Cup winner Amir Jangoo, spinner Kharry Pierre and Tion Webster.
The experienced all-rounder Riyad Emrit headlines the East Zone squad along with hard-hitting shot-maker Lendl Simmons and the talented Isaiah Rajah; while South West has retained the services of batsman Adrian Ali, a councillor in the Chaguanas Borough Corporation and a T20 Festival winner with Central Sports, and leading spinner Kavesh Kantasingh. Central will have the services of Kjorn Ottley, outstanding all-rounder Imran Khan and young Ricky Jaipaul.
East Zone will not be lacking star power with Yannic Cariah and former national captain Marlon Richards in their ranks while South East will bring out their top cricketer in West Indies player Jason Mohammed, along with Test fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, and fellow pacer Daniel St Clair.
Not to be left out is Tobago Zone which will have at their disposal several cricketers who play with Premiership clubs in Trinidad, and they are confident of making an impression. In their squad are Jahron Alfred, Dejourn Charles, Ancil Nedd (captain), Alden Daniel and Marcus Daniel.
TODAY’S FIXTURES
Group “A”
Tobago vs North (Roxborough)
South East vs South (Sancho Branch Road)
Group “B”
South West vs East (Brian Lara Stadium)
Central vs North East (Gilbert Park)
Saturday, May 12
Group “A”
South vs Tobago (Preysal)
North vs South East (NCC, Balmain)
Group “B”
East vs North East (Monroe Road)
Central vs South West (Brian Lara Stadium)
Sunday, May 13
Group “A”
Tobago vs South East (NCC, Balmain)
North vs South (Brian Lara Stadium)
Group “B”
North East vs South West
East Central (Gilbert Park)
Saturday, May 19
Semifinals
Winner of Group “A” vs Runner-up of Group “B” (Brian Lara Stadium)
Sunday, May 20
Winner of Group “B” vs Runner-up of Group “A” (Brian Lara Stadium)
Saturday, May 26
Final
Winner No 1 vs Winner No 2 (NCC, Balmain)
