2009 National Premier Cricket League
February 5th 2009

Eastern Credit Union will contribute $395,000 to the 2009 National Premier Cricket League, as part of its ongoing partnership with the T&T Cricket Board. This was announced at a press conference at the President’s Box of the Queen’s Park Oval yesterday.

The event was attended by ECB president Ronald Bobb, T&TCB president Deryck Murray and T&TCB CEO Forbes Persaud.

The ECU will cover administrative costs and give the top players of each round a financial start at the Credit Union.

This year’s prize structure has been increased by 100 per cent with the champion team receiving $120,000. Second and third place will be awarded $70,000 and $35,000 respectively. Ceramic Merry Boys was the champion team in 2008.

Bobb said that ECU was happy to be involved with the T&TCB as they sought to give the country a reason to celebrate.

“We saw it as our civic duty to assist with the financing of this league which has fostered the development of many of our local, regional and international cricket sensations.” He said.

“Sport has always been a unifying factor in our society. It allows us for a time to forget our social and economic ills. Now, more than ever, we need sports as an avenue to combat the ills we face in society.”

Murray said that it was the board’s duty to see that local cricket continued to progress inspite of the global economic crisis.

“We all know that these are trying times. We have a responsibility that cricket continues at all levels throughout T&T.” He said, “We are grateful for the ECU for recognising that cricket needs to be preserved and carried on. We hope that we can justify the ECB’s decision by continuing to strive to be even better.”

Award Structure:

Premier League

Place*Prize

• First*$120,000
• Second*$70,000
• Third*$35,000
• Fourth*$25,000
• Fifth*$15,000
• Sixth*$10,000
• Seventh*$7,000
• Eighth*$5,000
• Ninth*$3,000
• Tenth*$2,000

Reserve League:

• First*$10,000
• Second*$6,000
• Third*$5,000
• Fourth*$4,000
• Fifth*$3,000