PowerGen, Preysal go for Carib title

The only local championship title that PowerGen Cric-ket Club have not won is the Carib Sunday League and today they have a chance to correct that when they play Clico Preysal in the final  under lights at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre from 2.30 pm.

A huge crowd is expected to converge on the nation’s only night cricket venue, to witness the keen awaited clash between the giants on the local cricket landscape. The winners will walk away with a handsome $30,000 first prize, while the runners-up will take away $20,000. PowerGen defeated Caroni Wanderers for their berth in the finals, while Clico Preysal got over First Citizen’s Clarke Road United.

General manager off Clico Preysal cricket club Rangy Nanan is confident of his team’s chances. “We are playing consistently good cricket and all our players are doing well. We are not a team based on one man and all 11 are going into battle ready to lift the trophy. Keith Arthurton is bowling well and Eugene Antoine, our player/manager, is bowling excellently and we expect these guys to lead from the front. We have a full strength team and we are going to take the battle,” said the former West Indies off-spinner.

PowerGen’s president Chaitram “Teeths” Ramjitsingh warned Preysal that cricket in Trinidad and Tobago is now all about “south” and that they are going to be turned back badly in today’s final. “Cricket long ago in Trinidad was all about north, it passed through central and now lies in the south.  “PowerGen are going to win the Carib Sunday League and First Citizen’s Clarke Road will win the Carib Cup. It is as simple as that and south will show that the strength of cricket lies down here,” said Ramjitsingh.

Preysal will be led by TT middle-order batsman Shazam Babwah, while Samuel Badree will be at the helm at PowerGen. Both teams have a number of national players with Preysal boosted by WI pacer Marlon Black and former West Indies middle-order batsman Keith Arthruton. The most celebrated PowerGen player is former Test wicketkeeper David Williams. Dave Mohammed, who also played for the West Indies in limited overs cricket, will also be on show. The match gets going at 2.30 pm and will be of 50-overs duration. Cost of admission is $20 and children under the age of 12 will be admitted free.

Teams:
Preysal: Shazam Babwah (capt), Keith Arthurton, Andy Jackson, William Perkins, Aaron Ragoonath, Hollister Pajotte, Dinesh Ramdin, Eugene Antoine, Marlon Black, Ravi Rampaul, Kevin Nanan, Anderson Bryce, Nevin Stuart and Garvin Nedd. Coach Debideen Manick.

PowerGen: Samuel Badree (capt), Winston Duncan, Joel Surujbally, Sherwin Ganga, Denzil James, Hemnarine Chatergoon, David Williams, Dave Mohammed, Amit Jaggernauth, Atiba Alert and Brent Harriot.

Manager: Chaitram Ranjit-singh.