Journey back to top of world cricket start

THE journey has just started on the way back to the top in World Cricket. This was the response of Alloy Lequay, the Chief Executive Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) to the fact that the West Indies Under-19 team came close to winning the World Under-19 title in Bangladesh on Friday in Dacca. Lequay said, “It was not an easy journey but we proved to the rest of the cricketing world that we have the mettle, the skill and the talent to climb back to rule the roost again. Just give us some time.” Lequay was indeed in a joyous mood, when one considered that “we almost conquered the world at the Under-19 level, just as we did at the Under-15 stage in 2000 in England, when we defeated Pakistan by two wickets.

“It means that sooner than later we will be right at the take-off point to meet the challenges the world over in our quest to take over dominance of world cricket,” Lequay said. Lequay made reference to the commissioning of the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Development Centre in May 2002 and said “that is the flagship of our development thrust with the emphasis on our youth players.” So concerned the TTCB is about youth cricket that the Board organised training for them and the first batch graduated in June 2003, he explained. Lequay exclaimed that the performance of the TT Under-15 Team regionally and worldwide (in 2000 in the Costcutter Tournament) has created vast openings for youngsters like Dinesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Rishi Bachan, Jonathan Augustus, Lendl Simmons, Tishan Maraj, Amit Jaggernath, Aaron Ragoonath and Dave Mohammed and the writing is there on the wall for all to see.

“We appreciate that the development takes time and at every stage of the journey there is need to pause and evaluate before the next step forward,” he stressed. He added, “Some expect immediate results and are vociferous in their condemnation of the administration when such results are not immediately evident. “Our own experiences tell us that the journey is long, the road is winding and strewn with obstacles. We are not daunted by the demanding process; all we know is that we are on the right road.” Lequay added, “The Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Development Centre at Balmain, Couva, was conceptualised as an investment in our youth. We are already reaping rich rewards.”