TTCB – News

Solozano Tops Regional Under-15 Batsmen
July 20, 2011

SUKESH MANIAM, left, secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (T&TCB) presents the "Most Outstanding Wicketkeeper" award to T&T's Nicholas Pooran at the Cascadia Hotel and Conference Centre, St Ann's.
Photo courtesy T&T Cricket Board

TRINIDAD AND Tobago’s Under-15 cricketers have been commended for their outstanding performances which helped them emerge runners-up in the recent West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) regional tournament which ended last Friday here in Trinidad.

Jamaica topped the six-team competition which was seriously hampered by rain but it was hosts Trinidad and Tobago who grabbed the lion’s share of individual honours at a prize distribution function held at the Cascadia Hotel and Conference Centre in St Ann’s.

Taking pride of place for the homesters was team captain Jeremy Solozano who was the “Most Outstanding Batsman” after scoring 297 runs in five matches (seven innings) with three not outs. He averaged 74.25 runs per innings with a highest score of 135 not out which incidentally was the only century scored in the entire tournament.

Also shining bright for the T&T Under-15s was Brian Christmas who was in a festive mood during the two-week tournament. He copped the “Best Allrounder” award. Christmas also played five matches (seven innings) and scored 173 runs with a highest score of 44 for an average of 28.83 runs per innings.

He also bowled 32 overs which included five maidens and took three wickets for 102 runs.

Also sharing in the spotlight was T&T wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran who was given the “Most Outstanding Wicketkeeper” award after taking part in seven dismissals comprising four catches and three stumpings. He also made a good contribution with the bat scoring 153 runs.

Solozano, who also collected a “Most Valuable Player” award and teammate Keron Kanhai were also listed among nine regional batsmen scoring half-centuries in the challenging conditions.

President of the T&T Cricket Board (T&TCB) Azim Bassarath in declaring the tournament a resounding success commended everyone for their dedication and commitment including the sponsors, umpires, curators, ground staff, clubs, match referees and scorers.

He said the tournament administrators and T&TCB Office staff, the local media, transportation personnel and caterers among others worked long hours to plan and ensure everything was carried out to perfection.

Bassarath said regional administrators need to pay greater attention to the early years of a player’s development. “We must put in the hard work now in the absence of the bright lights and public attention. This is where we need our best coaches and our strongest programmes,” said Bassarath.

He said tournaments similar to the Under-15s provide an opportunity for the cricketers from throughout the region to interact and learn from one another. “We must charge ourselves with the responsibility to create an environment of one West Indies within the teams we administer and to nurture and spread this positive influence to all those who are part and parcel of this great tradition that is West Indies cricket,” said Bassarath.

He told the coaches of the respective teams that in looking towards 2012, they must take back home all the positive lessons they had learnt and introduce them in their countries. “Let’s eliminate the weaknesses we have identified and let’s ensure that the next time around they will take the field with greater enthusiasm and better preparation than in 2011,” Bassarath said.