FORT WORTH: Trini-dadian Stephen Ames carded an outstanding final round 66 but could only finish 45th at the US $5 million Colonial tournament on Sunday. Ames had lost ground with over-par scores on Friday and Saturday and ended with a one-under 279 total, a long way behind winner Kenny Perry, whose final round 68 took him to a tournament record 19-under 213 and the US $900,000 winning prize. Justin Leonard tied Perry’s course record with a closing nine-under 61 to place second, six shots behind at 267.
Jeff Sluman was third at 268, after a final round 65. The 39-year-old Ames, the first Caribbean player ever on the US PGA Tour, was positioned sixth after a first round 67, but slipped on Friday (72) and Saturday (74) to fall out of contention. He shared 45th with six other players for a US $14,000 cheque and is still in search of his third top-10 finish this season. Ames placed eighth at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and 10th at the Bay Hill Invitational earlier this year.
BRIDGETOWN: Left-handed 17-year-old opener Martin Nurse slammed an astounding double century for the Combined Schools team against the BCL as the 2003 Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division One season started on Saturday. Nurse hit 213 with 19 fours and 18 sixes to propel the Schools team to 350 for eight declared, and the BCL reached 83 for six in reply at stumps at the Lester Vaughan School. After a moderate First-Class debut for Barbados in the 2002 regional competition, Nurse restored his regional image with the batting award at the 2002 West Indies Under-19 Champion-ship in Jamaica during the summer.
He scored 334 runs to lead Barbados to the championship title. Elsewhere, former Test players Sherwin Campbell and Junior Murray got half centuries appearing for defending champions Banks against Maple at Trents. Left-arm spinner Anderson Sealy, who played for the West Indies “B” team in the 2003 regional season, captured five for 27 off eight overs as Maple plunged to 94 all out. Campbell and Grenadian Murray then both made 67 for Banks to score 191 for five declared, and Maple were struggling at 35 for three at stumps. Ex-West Indies wicket-keeper/batsman Thelston Payne, now 46 years old, struck 69 and Shawn Sargeant got 78 for St Catherine to reach 235 all out against Pickwick, who were 105 for five in reply. West Indies batsman Ryan Hinds made 45 for Pickwick.
THE WEST Indies Cricket Board have landed a $3 million three-year sponsorship for their Under-19 regional tournament it was announced yesterday. Deprived of a corporate benefactor for the past three years, the 2003 tournament, expected to be staged in Guyana in August, will now be called the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Challenge. Details of the deal were made public yesterday at a media conference hosted by the WICB at the Hilton Trinidad in Port-of-Spain when reporters were addressed by president of the WICB Rev Wes Hall; Dr Rollin Bertrand, Chief Executive Officer of the TCL Group; Alan Nobie, TCL’s Manager, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications; and Roger Brathwaite, CEO of the WICB.
Dr Bertrand said although the TCL Group’s primary focus is the support of the Under-19 cricketers, the initiative goes beyond the boundary. “Cricket is perhaps the most unassailable of this region’s ongoing attempts at unification. Our commitment hopes to supply the missing link between primary school performance and the often pilloried adult version,” Dr Bertrand said. He said the effort will also seek to hone raw young talent into a dependable resource base from which superior adult teams may be subsequently drawn. Dr Bertrand said one of the areas of concern is the critical issue of succession planning. “Continuity, re-instilling confidence, building up a ready pool of heirs to reclaim our place of prominence at the crease tomorrow is of paramount importance,” he said.
He observed that gone are the days of native talent rising to the top by sheer determination. “Technical assistance has become par for every course and those who can afford it are rewarded with dominance,” Dr Bertrand said. He revealed the TCL Group have identified cricket as the main thrust of their broad social responsibility for this year and beyond. Dr Bertrand said Under-19 cricket has been added to the group’s portfolio that already includes the support of Music Festival champions TCL Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra and bursaries for top students tenable at the University of the West Indies. “We hope sincerely that the predictably positive outcomes from this relationship between TCL Group and the West Indies Cricket Board will inspire our youth and draw them away from the ever-present lure of anti-social distractions,” said Dr Bertrand.
In his turn at the crease, Rev Hall, a former tear-away fast bowler with the great West Indies team of the 60s welcomed the support of the TCL Group and said the young players will become great ambassadors of the Claxton Bay, Trinidad-based company with operations in Barbados, Jamaica and Anguilla. The Christian pastor said it was especially important that the Under-19s are given the opportunity to develop, afforded by the TCL Group sponsorship, since they were at a critical phase where the quantum leap is made into First Class and Test cricket. He held up the great strides made by Jamaicans Carlton Baugh and Dave Bernard Jnr who were unheard off two seasons ago but now are on the West Indies senior team. Both players were also present at the function yesterday.
Rev Hall said it was the WICB policy to concentrate on young players as evidenced by the fact that the present regional Test and One-Day International team is comprised by players whose average age is 24. He said the Under-19 players will be taught that cricket is also a mind game and will be given the strategies to deal with the pressures of every situation on the field whether batting, bowling or fielding. “The West Indies is never short on talent. What we are emphasising now is the development of a good work ethic and an improvement in our disclipine,” said Rev Hall. Also present yesterday was Dinanath Ramnarine, the Trinidad and Tobago leg-spinner who is the president of the West Indies Players’ Association.
South Zone, coached by Baldath Bodoe and managed by Wilson James, are the undisputed champions of the KFC Under-13 cricket series. They earned the accolade after defeating North Zone in the finals of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control- run competition. It was the third consecutive year South have been crowned winners. At the Prisons Ground, Arouca last week, North Zone made 71 in 50 overs with Alex Aguilera topscoring with 20. South’s Varoon Samaroo took of three wickets for 19 runs and Adesh Deonarine ended with two for four. South were aware of their pending hat-trick and made sure of victory as Akeem Mohammed scored 26 not out, assisted by the son of former Trinidad and Tobago spinner Raphick Jumadeen, team captain Kareem Jumadeen. Young “Jumas” made 11 in the winning total of 72 for two in just 22 overs. Best of the North Zone bowlers was Jannick Carjays, who finished with two for 10.
THE TOP cricket clubs in Trinidad and Tobago have confirmed their participation in a novel Super Sixes Challenge this weekend at the Monroe Road Recreation Ground, Cunupia. The three-day competition on Indian Arrival weekend (Friday May 30, Saturday May 31 and Sunday, June 1) will be sponsored by the KFC chain of fast food restaurants and will have as the first prize $10,000. There will also be valuable incentives for the runners-up, the third placed team and other outstanding performances. Official launch of the KFC Supersixes Cricket Challenge took place yesterday at KFC, Independence Square, Port-of-Spain.
Present were Nigel Bissoon, Marketing Manager of Prestige Holdings, parent company of KFC; Parasram Ramsubhag, secretary of the Cricket Board’s Regional and Local Matches Committee; and Manohar Ramsaran, president of the Monroe Road Cricket Club who is the current Member of Parliament for Chaguanas and a former Minister of Sports. Also witnessing the draw for the first round of the competition were representatives of the clubs taking part including former national captain Rangy Nanan (Clico Preysal), ex-Trinidad and Tobago opener Suruj Ragoonath (Alescon Comet) and local batting star Lincoln Roberts (Trinidad Ceramic Merryboys).
Giving details of the competition yesterday, Bissoon said the inaugural tournament will involve 12 teams: Alescon Comet, Clico Preysal, Queen’s Park, Monroe Road, Merry Boys, Aranguez Sports, PowerGen, Couva Sports, FCB Clarke Road, Moosai’s Sports, Mayo Sports; and Wanderers. Teams of six players will bat for six overs with each player having to bowl one over. “Because there are only six fieldsmen, the potential for huge scoring also exists,” said Bissoon. He said the idea was the brainchild of Ramsaran, adopted from Hong Kong, where the concept was first tried out successfully but which will be given a Trini flavour over the coming weekend.
In the first round, the 12 teams will be divided into four groups of three teams playing on a round-robin basis with the top two teams advancing to the second round. The second round will have a knockout format and it is expected that overall 21 matches will be played. On Friday and Saturday, the first and second rounds will be contested starting at 9 am each day. The semi-finals, third-place play-off and final will be staged on Sunday.This is in addition to an exhibition match featuring the best players from the eight teams eliminated at the semi-final stage.
They will comprise the KFC Cruncher VI and KFC Snack Box VI who will match skills before the third-place play-off. Ramsaran said he proposed the idea to KFC after hearing complaints that cricket was too long and were only attracting a handful of spectators except at national limited-overs finals. “The idea is to tailor the competition for exciting cricket,” Ramsaran said. He held out the promise of allowing participation by guest teams in the future especially from other regional countries, possibly on the Easter weekend if free from Test or One-Day International matches involving the West Indies in Trinidad. Ramsaran said a deal has also been reached for the live televising of the final on TTT providing the Cable and Wireless One-day International between West Indies and Australia in Grenada on Sunday ends before 4 pm. Efforts are also being made to have the matches broadcast from the venue on one of the local radio stations.
FIRST ROUND DRAW
Group 1: A Aranguez Sports; B Alescon Comet; C FCB Clarke Road
Group 2: A Couva Sports; B Monroe Road;
C Queen’s Park
Group 3: A Mayo Sports; B Moosai’s Sports;
C Clico Preysal
Group 4: A PowerGen Sports; B Merry Boys;
C Wanderers.
ADAWAR, winner of last year’s Gold Cup will line up closest to the rails in the Union Park Turf Club Indian Arrival Turf Handicap on the Arima Race Club Day 16 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima, on Friday. The six-year-old son of Perugino who went on to cop the “Horse of the Year” title was drawn to race from the “window” post by trainer John O’Brien at the official draw for post positions held at the Valpark Chinese Restaurant, Valpark Shopping Centre, yesterday. O’Brien, president of the ARC said there were not many superlatives with which to describe the efforts of Union Park Turf Club, which five weeks ago sponsored the Easter Guineas.
He lauded the UPTC team headed by Justice Wendell Kangaloo for their sterling efforts in coming aboard again to sponsor the Indian Arrival Day programme. Justice Kangaloo in his opening remarks gave a history of East Indians, from their arrival aboard the Fatel Razack on May 30, 1845 to indentureship when a total of 143,939 East Indians had arrived by 1917. The impact according to Kangaloo was so immense in both a socio-economic as well as cultural sense that May 30 is now observed annually as a holiday. He reiterated that many successful horse owners and racing officials have been associated with the UPTC and are the progeny of those who came as indentured labourers. The list, according to Kangaloo was far too numerous to enumerate but said the races have been named to honour certain aspects of that first voyage and the subsequent period.
Sugar Mike who finished runner-up to Adawar in the final graded event last season will renew rivalry with the top Irish-bred stayer. He was drawn on the extreme outside of the seven-horse field of stayers. Jockey Nobel Abrego who formed an unbeatable partnership with Adawar last year has again been retained for the 1725 metres turf contest, while Sugar Mike unbeaten in two starts this term will have champion jockey Rajpaul Rajkumar aboard. Outswinger who scored a facile victory over a Starter Allowance group in his first try on the inner course will race one off the rails. Drawn to be loaded soon after the Jack Debideen-trained three-year-old in the tough looking contest which has both tactical speed and staying power will be Invincibility, another member of trainer Grant Lourenco’s barn. Drawn to race out of the No 4 stall is Canaima. The Irish bred five-year-old who will be making her first appearance. has raced over three seasons in Ireland, with the bay daughter of Rainbow For Life/Dunfern going into the event with a record of two wins and three placings from 18 starts.
Following are the runners and post positions:
RACE 7: GLENEAGLE STAKES – W.I BRED 3 Y.O FILLIES – PURSE $60,000 – 1800 METRES.
1. SWEET LAURA LEE – 55 – L.KEIZER, 2. GOLDEN HONOUR – 55 – H.EMAMALIE, 3. CREME CARAMEL – 55 – K. BISSOON, 4. JOAN OF ARC – 55 – J. ARNEAUD, 5. MY APHRODITE – 55 – R. RAJKUMAR, 6. FIRESTORM – 55 – R. JADOO, 7. CORNERSTONE – 55 – N. ABREGO, 8. SWEET TEMPO – 55 – W.GALVIZ, 9. WILD LIFE – 55 – L. MUNOZ, 10. FULL OF PROMISES – 55 – R. PERSAD.
RACE 9: INDIAN ARRIVAL TURF HANDICAP – PURSE $75,000 – 1725 METRES (TURF)
1. SUGAR MIKE – 55 – R.RAJKUMAR, 2. OUTSWINGER – 49.5 – R.JADOO, 3. INVINCIBILITY – 54.5 – H.EMAMALIE, 4. CANAIMA – 53.5 – W.BHARATH, 5. DOTTIE’S WAY – 49 – W.GALVIZ, 6. MANDELA – 44 – L.KEIZER, 7. ADAWAR – 57.5 – N.ABREGO.
BETTING Levy Board chairman Roop Chan Chadeesingh plans to eradicate the long wait of owners to collect winning stake monies. He said he has drawn up plans which when instituted will bear fruit. “And the history of no money (to pay stakes) will be something of the past,” he said. The BLB boss spoke at a news conference to launch the UPTC Gleneagle Stakes and UPTC Indian Arrival Day Turf Handicap at Valpark Shopping Plaza yesterday. Both events are to be run off on Friday, Indian Arrival Day, on the Arima Race Club proposed 10-race programme at Santa Rosa Park, Arima.
A self-critical Chadeesingh said he had been in office over four years, and felt he had not done enough for the racing industry. But he told jockeys, trainers, owners and officials, including San Fernando Mayor Gerard Ferreira who is earmarked to be the next ARC president, “the racing industry has turned the corner.” He said he had prepared and handed a three-year Business Plan to Trade and Industry Minister Ken Valley who is happy with the document. Chadeesingh said money must be generated from outside the industry, “and we must go out and get it.” He expressed the feeling that owners have sacrificed a lot, and it was time they reap some benefit.
The BLB man pointed out that Woodbine Race Track in Canada pays best stakes money in North America because they derive money from the entertainment centre they established at the course. And he made it clear, an entertainment centre must be established here to generate revenue for the racing industry. Chadeesingh told ARC president John O’Brien and Chief Executive Officer B Persad Rooplal there is a need to stage more Friday Evening Limes, and threw out the idea of having one on Carnival Friday when there are several visitors from abroad and returning Trinidadians in the country.
KERRY “Jiggers” Joseph, one of the two people shot last Thursday during a shoot-out in Petit Valley, died yesterday morning at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, and relatives are charging that Joseph, 27, of Spring View Drive, Petit Valley, was killed by a bullet from a police gun. However, police said Joseph, a part-time mason, was killed by his own colleagues during the crossfire. Joseph, father of two sons, ages seven and seven months, was shot in the head, following the shootout which police said started on Pioneer Drive and ended at Cassia Drive Extension, also in Petit Valley.
A post-mortem performed yesterday by pathologist Dr Hughvon DesVignes revealed Joseph died from a single bullet wound to the head. Acting Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs said the matter is under investigation by senior officers. According to police reports, the officer left to go to a scrapyard based on information he received. When he got there, police said, the officer met a known drug dealer who gave him additional information that certain people were going to “cut a deal”. Shortly after, police said, a group of men came to the scrapyard and said they did not want to do the transactions there but on their own turf. Police said the officer, along with the alleged drug dealer and the group of men, left for Pioneer Drive in a vehicle belonging to one of the group members.
There, police said, the group of men, one of whom was Joseph, tried to relieve the officer of his firearm. Police said based on certain information the group of men received from other people, the men thought that the officer was a bandit who came to sell a firearm. A shootout started and police said Joseph was shot in Pioneer Drive. The officer began to run with members of the group in hot pursuit. While running, police said the men began firing shots at the officer, who shouted to other people that they should take cover. The officer then asked some workmen for a cellphone, from where he called for back-up. Police said the group continued and eventually one of the bullets grazed the officer in his head.
At Joseph’s home yesterday, his common-law wife Althea Marcano said the police’s theory is untrue. Joseph’s mother, Martha Martin, 47, said that nothing has been heard of the drug dealer who was reportedly in company with the officer. “I want to know what’s going on. Who killed my son? This thing is just so bizarre,” Martin, a cleaner and mother of three, told Newsday yesterday. She admitted that her son was no saint and had a police case which she refused to talk about. Sgt Anthony Lezama of the West End Police Station is continuing inquiries.
A 27-year-old Maraval woman gave birth to a healthy baby boy in a car outside the Maraval Police Station in the early hours of yesterday morning. Vanessa Pierre, of Beau Pres Village, Maraval, was later rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where she was treated and warded. Her baby was declared to be in good health but Vanessa, who lost a lot of blood, was placed on drips and was being carefully monitored at the maternity ward of the hospital.
Reports revealed that around 2.45 am yesterday, Llewelyn Ellis was taking his common-law wife Vanessa to hospital in a car when she went into the final stage of labour just outside the Maraval Police Station. Ellis rushed into the station and asked the assistance of the police in getting his wife to hospital quickly. Vanessa, who was seated in the back seat of the car while they waited on an ambulance, realised that there was no time to get to hospital. Reports revealed that WPC Phillip-White, who is a mother, and PCs Alexis and Forbes went to the assistance of Vanessa, and they assisted in the delivery which occurred in ten minutes. Officers of the Maraval Fire Station were also contacted and they also went to the scene and rendered assistance.
Officers of EHS arrived on the scene shortly after and took mother and child to hospital. Vanessa was taken to the maternity ward where she was placed on drips. When Newsday spoke with Vanessa she said she was grateful for the assistance of the police. Vanessa claimed that she started having contractions around 10.30 pm on Sunday, but did not feel that she was ready to go to the hospital. She added that when the contractions became severe, she informed her husband that she was ready to go to the hospital. She has not yet chosen a name for her new son. At the Maraval Police Station, police officers said that they were happy to assist Vanessa and added that the motto of the police service is not only to protect but also to serve.
A TWO-YEAR-OLD infant and her two cousins who suffered serious head injuries when her father’s car smashed into a TSTT pole and overturned on Sunday, remain warded in a critical condition. Their relatives are appealing to the public to assist them in raising money for a cat scan costing $2,000. Doctors at the San Fernando General Hospital told relatives that the children’s head injuries were life threatening and the scan needs to be done as soon as possible. Little Karishma Adhar and her cousins, Amid Moon, 10 and Dillon, 11, and three other children, were on their way to buy doubles with Jagdesh Adhar, on Sunday when, it is alleged, the driver of another car attempted to overtake them near Clear Water Gardens, Rio Claro.
Adhar lost control of the car, which smashed into a pole and also onto a culvert. The car went 15 feet in the air and landed on its hood. The father and three of the children, all of Deep Ravine Trace, Rio Claro, were treated and discharged. Jagdesh told Newsday yesterday that his daughter underwent emergency treatment and he was praying for his baby girl to recover from her injuries. He appealed to the public for assistance in raising the money for the cat scan. Meanwhile Karishma and her cousins are warded in a serious but stable condition at Ward five. PC Raufs Hosein of the Rio Claro Police is continuing investigations.
