TTCB – News

Women cricketers steal spotlight at T&TCB awards
October 16, 2011

PRESIDENT of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (T&TCB) Azim Bassarath, right, presents the  “Administrator of the Year” award to Ann Brown-John on Friday at the T&TCB 55^th awards function in the Centre Pointe Mall in Chaguanas.
Photo courtesy T&TCB

PRESIDENT of the Women’s  Cricket Association Dr Pamela Elder has delivered a ringing endorsement of the current administration of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (T&TCB) led by Azim Bassarath who is seeking a second term in office at the end of the month.

Dr Elder said the T&TWCA was very pleased with the “ marriage” that took place between the two organisations  last year and is looking forward to further cementing the ties which have been providing more opportunities for the local women cricketers.

“We have done well in this partnership. It is a trusting and caring relationship in which we have been participating. We are also happy that the T&T Cricket Board has included us in all discussions with respect to women’s cricket which has made great progress so far,” said Dr Elder.

She was speaking on Friday night when the T&T Cricket Board hosted their 55^th annual presentation function at Centre Pointe Mall in Chaguanas which attracted the leading personalities in the game including members of the national team which recently returned from playing in the 2011 Nokia Champions League T20 tournament in India.

 Dr Elder said her training and practice as a psychologist has made her question human behavior as she seeks answers to why members of society gravitate towards forming groups and especially sports teams and she is firm in her belief that it affords the participants opportunities and experiences in public life which they would not normally be exposed to.

“Team sports like cricket is a form of therapy. It gives us all hope and helps us to acquire a different perspective and world view. It also helps us to establish strong and positive relationships and elevates us to a position of leadership in many cases,” said Dr Elder.

The women’s cricket boss said that women cricketers are now better prepared through their shared experiences to propogate the  virtues of team sports in general and cricket in particular and have become more persuasive in influencing people’s opinions in a positive way.

Dr Elder complimented the T&T Cricket Board for their initiatives in promoting women’s cricket alongside their male counterparts and welcomed the plan by the T&TCB to introduce a women’s team alongside the 12 Premier League team currently campaigning in the top tier of local cricket.

She said that the inclusiveness that the plans of the T&TCB introduces will further enhance the contribution that women are making specifically in the game and in the national community  in general which she feels is very important to the overall development of society.

“We are happy with the sensible strategies employed by the T&T Cricket Board in granting the Women’s Cricket Federation access to the resources available for cricket development  since we feel that much more can be accomplished in this way,” said Dr Elder.

She said the last year was been hugely rewarding for her organisation and its members  and described the  collaboration with the T&T Cricket Board as “respectful, enjoyable, positive and gives rise to hope and an expectation of greater things to come in the future.”

And it was not by coincidence that former West Indies and national captain Ann Brown-John was handed the “Administrator of the Year” award. The senior Customs and Excise Officer is an executive member of the T&T Cricket Board and has been a livewire in local and regional cricket for several decades as a player and administrator.

Taking pride of place for the women at the awards function was Sangre Grande resident Anisa Mohammed who plays for MAAD Rangers . She copped the “ Female Cricketer of the Year” prize and was also included in the “Five Cricketers of the Year” along with Merissa Aguilleira, Gaitri Seetahal, Amanda Samaroo and Stacy-Ann King .

Phoenix, the  competition league runners-up received the June Walters Award for Club Administration (Women) while Nisha Boodoo of Bonne Aventure Presbyterian was adjudged the “Primary Schools Cricketer of the Year.”

Also stealing the spotlight for the women were Gayle Daniel-Worrell, a former president of the T&T Women’s Cricket Federation who was awarded for her dedicated and distinguished service to the zones and affiliates of the T&TCB.

And to cap of a wonderful evening of acknowledgement and reward for women’s cricket, Jean Carmino, a former secretary of the women’s cricket Board for 40 years (1970 to 2010) was given a national recognition award which was accepted on her behalf by Babsie Figuera.

Carmino was also the first secretary of the WI Cricket Federation serving in that capacity from 1975 to 2000. She also managed the regional team to India and accompanied the  Trinidad and Tobago team in that capacity on several occasions. She has dedicated her life to cricket and only eased up on her commitment to the game when she fell ill last year.

Women’s Awards: Six-a-Side

• Most wickets: Gaitri Seetahal (Phoenix CC)

• Most Runs: Deandra Dottin (Technocrat CC)

• Runners-Up: Phoenix CC

• Winners: Technocrats CC

Knock-Out Competition

• Most Wickets: Felicia Walters (Phoenix CC)

• Most Runs: Merissa Aguilleira (Phoenix CC)

• Runners-up: Technocrats CC

• Winners: Phoenix CC

League Competition

• Highest individual Score: Deandra Dottin (Technocrats CC)

• Most Runs: Deandra Dottin (Technocrats CC)

• Best Batting Average: Deandra Dottin (Technocrats CC)

• Most Wkts in a Match: Sarah Charles (Cricket Lovers CC)

• Most Wickets Overall: Gaitri Seetahal (Phoenix CC)

• Best Bowling Average: Alice Collins (Spice Girls CC)

League Team Awards

• Runners-up: Phoenix CC

• Winners: Technocrats CC
   

• Most Disclipined Player: Tramaine Edwards (San Raphael Women CC)

• Most Promising Player: Rackeal Bissoon (Phoenix CC)

• Most Improved Player: Felicia Walters (Phoenix CC)

Five National Cricketers of the Year:

• Merissa Aguilleira (Phoenix CC)

• Anisa Mohammed (MAAD Rangers)

• Gaitri Seetahal (Phoenix CC)

• Amanda Samaroo (Phoenix CC)

• Stacy-Ann King (Technocrats CC)

National Cricketer of the Year:

Anisa Mohammed (MAAD Rangers)

Administrator of the Year:

Ann Brown-John