TTCB – News

BG T&T Under-19 Start: Time right for T&T cricketers says top official
April 7, 2011

WENDELL CONSTANTINE, centre, Sponsorship and Brands Manager of BG T&T is introduced to Claude Phillip, coach of the North Zone Under-19 team on Thursday at the opening of the BG T&T competition at the Brian Lara Ground in Santa Cruz

ANN BROWN-JOHN, executive member of the T&T Cricket Board meets players from the East Under-19 team at yesterday's formal opening of the BG T&T Under-19 competition at the Brian Lara Ground in Santa Cruz.

Photos courtesy T&T Cricket Board

THE TIME is right for Trinidad and Tobago's young cricketers to stake their claim for selection on the West Indies Test team says former top national and regional female player Ann Brown-John. She was at the time speaking to the North and East teams when the BG T&T Under-19 competition officially bowled off on Thursday (April 07, 2011) at the Brian Lara Ground in Santa Cruz.

Brown-John, who was also outstanding at hockey for Trinidad and Tobago pointed out to the youngsters, all smartly attired in their BG T&T sponsored uniforms that the regional selectors have signalled their intention to blood new players with their sights set on the future and the Under-19s must not miss out on the opportunity bt recording impressive performances with the bat and ball.

"You must show your talent so that the selectors will take notice," Brown-John said. The senior Customs and Excise Officer was standing in for Azim Bassarath, president of the T&T Cricket Board who was unavoidably absent. She praised the foresight and commitment of BG T&T for continuing to invest in the youths and their development in the game saying that she is certain that the gas company's support is assured for many more years to come.

Also present on Thursday at the ground which is named after former West Indies batting star Brian Lara was Wendell Constantine, Sponsorship and Brands Manager of BG T&T; Manohar Ramsaran, Administrative Manager of the T&TCB; Lalman Kowlessar, Chairman of the National Under-17 and Under-19 Selectors; and leading North Zone officials Don Asgarali (chairman) and Stephen Martel (secretary).

Kowlessar also impressed upon the cricketers to give of their best always in the hope that they can catch the eye of the national selectors and to respect the decision of the umpires on the field of play. He said the T&TCB and the cricket fraternity owe a debt of gratitude to BG T&T for their sponsorship of the age group competitions including the Under-19s which comes on the heels of the just concluded Under-15 tournament won last week by East Zone.

Constantine who grew up at Gatacre Street in Woodbrook reminisced about his boyhood days asking the youngsters who would have thought he would go to the same school with batting icon Lara and later write speeches for him; and now gainfully employed with one of the largest gas companies in Trinidad and Tobago.

"You must always put your best foot forward and make your community, team, parents and supporters proud. Even your critics who challenge you are only trying to make you prove them wrong," said Constantine.