Carib’s $.6million for local cricket
January 9th 2009

Carib Brewery and the T&T Cricket Board extended its unbroken partnership to 15 years, with the announcement that the beer manufacturer will again sponsor the board’s Sunday League and Twenty20 competitions in 2009.

This was revealed by Carib’s Sponsorship and Events Manager, Colin Murray, at a news launch yesterday at the Carib Hospitality Suite in Champs Fleur.

The sponsorship for the two competitions is close to $600,000. Murray revealed that prizes have been almost doubled with the winning team in the Sunday League taking home a massive $110,000, while the runner-up will pocket a handsome $70,000.

Last year the champion team—Ceramic Merry Boys Sports collected $55,000, while beaten finalist—W Connection Wanderers received $35,000. In this year’s Twenty20 tournament, the winning team will get $100,000, while the second placed side will be $60,000 richer.

In 2008, champions Clico Preysal collected $45,000, while runner-up—Queen’s Park Cricket Club got $28,000.

A former West Indies youth captain, Murray said: “Carib is happy to be on board with the T&T Cricket Board in this partnership. They are a professional bunch of people, committed in spreading the game throughout Trinidad and Tobago and by extension the Caribbean.”

He said the increase in sponsorship is simply because of the great work the T&TCB is doing in promoting cricket.

The former T&T allrounder urged the clubs to be more professional and take a closer look at the game as to where they want to reach.

“A little must be done to the clubs in terms of club management structure and club administrators,” Murray added.

Murray called on SPORTT and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs to assist the T&TCB to help clubs improve on their facilities including the laying down of turf wickets.

Also speaking at the launch was former West Indies wicketkeeper and president of the T&TCB, Deryck Murray, who heaped praises on Carib Brewery for their on-going support for cricket in the country.

Murray (D) told the gathering that 2009 will be challenging year for the country, not just in terms of cricket but in other aspects including finance. “ We want to co-operate with our stakeholders to make T&T cricket proud. I want to thank Carib Brewery for their continued support and hope that they are happy with what the T&TCB has to provide in terms of good competitive cricket,” Murray said.

Murray (D) revealed that the national team who will be taking on Barbados in the opening round of the WICB Four-Day championship today,in Bridgetown, will be wearing black arm bands in memory of the late boxing star Jizelle Salandy who died a single-vehicular accident on Sunday.

The Sunday League competition will bowl off tomorrow with 16 matches across the country, while the Twenty20 tournament is slated to start on January 28.

Prize Structure

Carib Twenty20

Winner - $100,000; Runner-up - $60,000; Losing Semifinalists - $12,000 each; Losing Quarterfinalists - $6,000 each; Winning Club in Each Rouns (48) - $500 each; Round of 16 Losers (8) $2,000 each.

Carib Sunday League 50 Overs

Winning Club in Each Round (112) - $500; Round of 16 Losers (8) - $2,000; Losing Quarterfinalists (4)- $6,000 each; Losing Semifinalists (2) -$12,000; Runner-up - $70,000; Winner - $110,000.

MoM (final) - $2,500; MoM -Semifinals (2) - $1,000 each; MoM -Quarterfinals (4) - $500.

Reserve League

Winner - $10,000; Runner-up - $7,000; Losing Semifinalists (2)- $4,000; Losing Quarterfinalists (4) - $2,000.

Sunday League 50 Overs Competition -Round One - January 10 (tomorrow).

Group A

Merry Boys v Caldrac at Diego Martin; Police Sports v Munroe Road at St James; Defence Force v Sweet Revenge at Chaguaramas; Calcutta Sports v Barataria at Calcutta.

Group B

Wanderers v Invaders at Gilbert Park; QPCC 2 v Clarke Road at Oval; Moosai’s v Valiants at Honeymoon Pk; Endeavour v Victoria at Endeavour.

Group C

Comets v Diamond United at Pierre Road; Preysal v Caroni Sav. at Preysal; Milton v Bamboo at Milton; UTT v Spoilers at O’Meara.

Group D

Central Sports v Curepe Sports at Chaguanas; PowerGen v Evergreen at Syne Village; Aranguez v QPCC 1 at Aranguez; Woodland v Couva Sports at Woodland.

Matches start at 10 am.