T&T CRICKET BOARD REGIONAL U-17 SERIES
December 16th 2008

Praises for T&TCB Under-17 Series

High praises are being sung on the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (T&TCB) for staging the inaugural Regional Under-17 Series.

An initiative of the T&TCB, teams from the traditional six territorial boards are taking part in the week-long 50-over-per-side tournament, including host country T&T, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands and Windward Islands.

This tournament is the brain child of Forbes Persaud, CEO and General Secretary of the T&TCB, which has ploughed close to $500,000 to stage the series, which started last Thursday.

Robert Adonis, coach of the Guyana U-17 team said that the West Indies Cricket Board must make this tournament a permanent fixture on its annual cricket calender.

Adonis who played in two First-Class matches for Guyana and captured two wickets for 126 runs, said that full credit must be given to the T&TCB for staging this well organised tournament.

"This tournament bridges the gap between the Under 17 age group and the Under 19 for our regional players, and Trinidad & Tobago is not only concerned about the development of their own players, but they are investing in players from throughout the region as well. This augers well for West Indies cricket." Adonis said.

According to second vice-president of the T&TCB and newly appointed chairman of the Regional Matches Committee, Leo Doodnath, the local board have recognised that there is a vacuum regionally at the U-17 level, and they have decided to carry their developmental thrust from national to regional level.

“Against this backround we have decided to host a series as this, and we are indeed very happy that all the territorial boards have responded positively to our invitation to participate,” Doodnath said.

A gala prize and awards function have been organised for Wednesday by T&TCB at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port-of-Spain, starting at 7 pm.

T&T wins youth championship
December 16th 2008 

T&T cricketers lifted the inaugural T&T Cricket Board Regional Under-17 title, when they registered another resounding victory in the penultimate round of the series, Monday.

The well executed victory has crowned the home team champions of the tournament, as they hold an unassailable lead in the series with a maximum eight points from four matches.

The remaining two matches on Monday were affected by rain. Led by another fine allround performance from T&T Under-19 player, Yannic Cariah, the homesters crushed the lowly-rated Leeward Islands by nine wickets at Wilson Road Recreation Ground in Penal.

The decision by the Leewards team to bat first at the First-Class venue in South Trinidad, backfired as they were routed for a meagre 64 in 34 overs.

Right-arm leg-spinner Cariah emerged as the top bowler for T&T with figures of four for 18 from 10 overs. He received admirable support from captain and left-arm orthodox spinner Yannick Ottley with three for 13 off nine overs and left-arm spinner Darron Beekha two for 14 from eight, T&T led by a polished unbeaten 38 from in-form opening batsman Evin Lewis raced to victory in 13 overs, losing one wicket in the process. The left-handed Lewis struck two fours and two sixes off 42 balls in his well-compiled innings . Cariah was unbeaten on 13 when the landmark was achieved.

Cariah copped the ‘Man of the Match’ award.

T&T will come up against Barbados in their final round match on Wednesday at Gilbert Park in California.

Down South at Syne Village in Penal, the contest between Barbados and the Windward Islands was abandoned in mid-afternoon through rain.

Led by a solid half-century from skipper Jason Holder, Barbados reached 173 for seven in 42.3 overs, when the rain intervened , leaving the outfield water-logged , which prompted the umpires Peter Nero and Mark Santana to call off play for the remainder of the day.

Holder hit a stroke-filled 75 off 101 balls and was laced with four fours and one six. He shared in a fifth wicket partnership of 58 with Kyle Mayers who contributed 22.

Medium-pacer Josh Thomas was the leading bowler for the Windwards with four for 52.

At Honeymoon Park in Tacarigua, the match between Jamaica and Guyana was abandoned through rain.

In the remaining two matches in the final round on Wednesday, Windward Islands will come up against Jamaica at Invaders Ground in Felicity, while the Leeward Islands and Guyana will clash at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

Round Four- Summarised Scores

AT WILSON ROAD: Leeward Islands 64 all out (34 overs) (Yannic Cariah 4-18, Yannic Ottley 3-13, Daron Beekha 2-14) v T&T 65-1 (13 overs) (Evin Lewis 38 not out, Yannic Cariah 16 not out). T&T won by 9 wkts. Y.Cariah (MoM).

AT SYNE VILL.: Barbados 173-7 (42.3 overs) (Jason Holder 75, Roston Chase 26, Josh Thomas 4-52) v Windward Islands. (match abandoned through rain).

AT HONEYMOON PK.: Jamaica v Guyana (match abandoned through rain).