Merryboys pride of ‘Diego’

It all started as a dream, and today, Merryboys have gained a reputation other established clubs crave.

This past season Merryboys showed their prowess by winning the Carib National League Division One title for the second successive year. The team started off in 1961 in the small village of Patna, located at the foot of the North Post in Diego Martin. Five villagers got together and decided to form this team with the first secretary being Harry Ramdhanie. Things were tough in the early years but the team soon found recognition through the four Coonan brothers. They held the team together through the tough times and started the climb to success.

Initially Merryboys competed in the Diego Martin Cricket League before moving out to play in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board’s North Zone competition. They entered at the Division Four level and after four seasons were competing in Division One. After their successes in Division One, they moved on to the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board’s National Division Three and immediately dominated the opposition. They then found themselves playing against tougher opposition in Division Two and they stayed here for a long while, trying to break into the top flight.

Cricket at this stage was very difficult and they were even demoted from Division Two for one season. However in 2000 they copped the Division Two title and entered the “big league” for the first time. Here they were trading blows with the biggest names in local cricket and to bolster their attack they brought in outside players. Also in 2000 they reached the finals of the Carib Sunday League before losing out to Clarke Road for the 40-over crown. In the Mt d’or series they exited at the quarter-final stage.

Manager of the Diego Martin team, Patrick Rampersad, was a happy man when interviewed on the achievement of the club. Rampersad admitted that when Merryboys was formed, it was intended to be a village team. But that has changed as the club has gone to the wider Diego Martin community for players. Rampersad said there is a deliberate plan to attract youngsters for continued coaching programmes. “If you are to reach the highest level of domestic cricket, you must attract youngsters. There must be continuity and sustenance.”

One of the biggest headaches for the club was attracting a sponsor and in 2001 they were fortunate to receive the support of  Ceramic Trinidad Limited. The company decided to take get involved in the community of Diego Martin, because they operate in the area. The team has now fully developed into one of the top local outfits and is now supplying the national teams with players on a regular basis. Lincoln Roberts, Aneil Kanhai, Romero and Keon Mason have represented the national senior team within the last two seasons, while Kanhai and Richard Kelly played with the Under-19s. There were also two youngsters in the Trinidad and Tobago Under-15 team that claimed the regional title for the third straight time. Clifton Halls and Mario Belcon were on the winning team.