LOCAL CRICKET ROUND-UP
February 13th 2009

Persaud clears the air about practice facilities

Forbes Persaud, CEO and General Secretary of the T&T Cricket Board, said that it is quite disturbing that the West Indies Players’ Association has chosen to air concerns about practice facilities in Trinidad, through a media release, when its CEO Dinanath Ramnarine, has been hosted by the local board up to last Sunday and did not raised any queries with local officials. In an attempt to clear the air, Persaud said that practice facilities were made available to Jamaica and Combined Campuses and Colleges at the Queen’s Park Oval.

“Nevertheless, the facts of the matter are that practice facilities were made available to Jamaica and Combined Campuses & Colleges at the Queen’s Park Oval. When the teams were unable to use the outdoor facilities because of rain – of which there has been a great deal since the regional tournament began in early January – the teams used the indoor facilities. It is worth noting that the Queen’s Park Oval is the best appointed cricket ground in the Caribbean providing both indoor and outdoor nets of international standard, adjacent to the playing area.

In the case of the Windward Islands, which game was staged at Guaracara Park , practice facilities were provided at Powergen Sports Club. However, the Windwards team chose to make their own private arrangements – without the prior knowledge of TTCB – to practice at another local club.

When rain also curtailed their practice they chose not to use the indoor facilities at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain, which would have been available to them. It must be noted that such facilities are not readily available in the rest of the Caribbean,” Persaud stated

Persaud stated that the T&TCB recognises the necessity of providing adequate match and practice facilities for all players across the region and fully support the adherence to common standards in a consistent manner in all territories. “ It appears however that WIPA’s singling out Trinidad’s facilities (Tobago’s are not included here since WIPA has lobbied stringently over the past few years preventing the allocation of regional and international games in the sister Isle) is part of a concerted effort to create in the minds of the public an incorrect impression of the T&TCB.

“ It is to be hoped that all the Territorial Boards and WICB will collate the Reports of the team managers and officials and share those – especially any shortcomings – to ensure that we continue to work towards the improvement of the cricket infrastructure in each territory and the overall standard of cricket throughout the West Indies,” Persaud ended.

Also contacted for a comment was the President of the T&TCB, Deryck Murray, who indicated that he is was in St Vincent on business and advised that we address our queries to Persaud.

South and South West Zone Joint Club Development Seminar

Clubs in both the South and South West Zones of the T&TCB will be engaged in a two-hour club development seminar on Monday , at Naparima College, San Fernando, from 6.00pm.

The seminar will be conducted by Chairman of the Penal Debe Regional Corporation and Executive Member of the T&TCB, Dr. Allen Sammy.

Leo Doodnath, Chairman of the South Zone & 2nd Vice President of the T&TCB explained that " It is all in an effort to partner with clubs in making them more structured and more organised so that they can more effectively play their part in the continuous growth & development of cricket and sustain themselves in the years ahead."

All sixteen clubs in each of the two Zones (32 clubs), from Claxton Bay in the North to Icacos in the South, are expected to participate.

According to Doodnath "At the end of the exercise, clubs will be in a better position to prepare & impliment their own strategic development plans." During the seminar, each club will be presented with 2 boxes (12) of match balls.

Jitman back as HCL Trinicity chairman

Carol Jitman has been elected to serve as chairman of the HCL Trincity Cricket League for an unprecedented 25th year. Jitman was re-elected un-opposed at HCL Trincity Cricket League at its annual general meeting held last Tuesday at the El Dorado South Hindu School.

Officers for 2009/2010 term ; - President - Carol Jitman; Vice-President - Ram Chatee; Secretary/Treasurer - Bernard Bailey; Public Relations Officer - Bernard Bailey; Club Representatives - Keith Medine; Kazim Mohammed; Kimraj Singh.