TTCB – News

Kowlessar bows out in Central Zone
September 29, 2011

OUTGOING chairman of the Central Zone of the T&T Cricket Board Lalman Kowlessar, right, chats with colleague Naushad Mohammed  at a recent cricket function at the Preysal High School.
Photo courtesy T&T Cricket Board

LONG SERVING cricket administrator Lalman Kowlessar has been praised for his continuing outstanding service to the national game after electing to stand down for the top post of chairman of the Central Zone at recent elections.

Kowlessar, a retired history master and sports educator at Presentation College in Chaguanas  has been at the helm of central cricket for the past nine years  and is a leading figure charting the course for the zonal organization since its inception.

President of  the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board Azim Bassarath has described Kowlessar as an icon of the game who has over the years demonstrated his patriotism, dedication and commitment to service of the country in various capacities as mentor, coach, manager and  administrator.

“Kowlessar has been a fixture on the national cricket stage for close to a decade and for many more previously where he is acknowledged as the most successful coach and manager to come out of the Central Zone. We are happy that despite his retirement from the chairmanship, he will continue to play a role in the future of the game since he has a lot more to contribute,” said Bassarath.

Despite steeping down as chairman of the Central Zone, Kowlessar remains second-vice president of the T&TCB and is widely expected to be a strong candidate for the Movement for Change in the upcoming national executive elections. 

Asked why he decided not to stand for re-election despite being favoured to be returned overwhelmingly , Kowlessar said he felt it was now time for him to pass on the baton and let another capable person make a contribution.

“I think I had a long stint at the helm during which time a lot of progress has been made all around in the Central Zone in collaboration with the T&T Cricket Board. There is more work to be done though and I look forward to further improvements in the administration of the zone and the quality of its players,” said Kowlessar.

He expressed  confidence in the new chairman of the Central Zone Rajendra Poorai who he said heads an executive that has a rare combination of youth and experience including  Mozack Rahamut as vice-chairman; secretary  Avinesh Jaggernauth, brother of  national cricketer Amit Jaggernauth;  and  treasurer Keith Joseph.

The three Central Zone representatives to the T&TCB for the 2011-2013 term of office are new president Poorai, Farouk Hosein and treasurer Joseph. Kowlessar said that in the upcoming national executive elections, Central Zone will be firmly backing Movement for Change led by Bassarath.

Kowlessar has spent more than four decades in the education and sports arena  interacting mostly with pre-teens and teenagers and his contribution to national building has been acknowledged  by the T&T Government several years ago and for which he received a national award on  Independence Day at President’s House.

Following the Central Zone elections, the Movement for Change received another fillip when Don Asgarali was re-elected unopposed as Chairman of the North Zonal Cricket Council of  the T&T Cricket Board.

The elections were held  at their 31^st Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday , September 20. Also elected unopposed were Patrick Rampersad as vice-chairman, Stephen Martel  is back as zone secretary, and Mahabir Ragoonanan is the returning treasurer.

The three representatives to the T& T Cricket Board are chairman Asgarali and his fellow North Zone executive colleagues  Martel and  Ragoonanan who are all expected to support Movement for Change in the upcoming elections which is also being contested by  the Friends of Cricket group.

After the North Zone elections the executive was installed by Arjoon Ramlal, General Secretary of the T&T Cricket Board. The North Zonal Cricket Council was the first to be formed when the T&T Cricket Board was established in 1980.