Road accident halts cricket trial

NATIONAL all-rounder Earnil Ryan and fellow Parkites Jonathan Aug-ustus and Samuel Felix were involved in a fatal vehicular accident on the Uriah Butler Highway south bound lane yesterday morning. The accident forced the abandonment of the fourth day’s play of the first trial match at Gilbert Park, California, Central Trinidad. Ryan, a back seat passenger, sustained a broken right arm when the vehicle driven by West Indies youth player Augustus skidded off the road and ploughed through a group of people sheltering under a roadside shed on the eastern side of the highway, opposite the Ansa-McAl Complex south of the Endeavour Flyover, Chaguanas. Felix who was seated in the front seat escaped with minor bruises.

The cricketers who were on their way to Gilbert Park when the mishap occurred re-mained traumatised by the accident which claimed the lives of three persons. Augustus is the son of Queen’s Park captain Brent Augustus and was a member of  the West Indies Under-19 team which reached the final of the ICC Junior World Cup in Dhaka, Bangla-desh, earlier this year. He and Ryan were also members of the Trinidad and Tobago team which won the West Indies Cricket Board President’s Cup in Barbados last month. Felix was a member of the TT’s Under-19 team. Team coach David Williams, trainer Gerard Garcia and other cricketers  left Gilbert Park and rushed to the scene of the accident and all expressed shock by what they saw.

According to Garcia, Augustus informed them that his vehicle picked up a skid on the highway and he lost control as it veered towards the eastern side and eventually plough-ed into a group of workers.Garcia said cricket officials and players got together and offered prayers at the scene of the accident. Ryan was taken to the Chaguanas Health Clinic for treatment and would be hospitalised. eanwhile the cricketers will re-assemble at the Sir Frank Worrell Development Centre tomorrow, to continue preparations for the 2005 Carib Beer Series.

Final Scores: RODNEY SOOKLAL TEAM A 178  - Lendl Simmons 45, Imran Jan 42,  Kenton Thompson 24, Amit Jaggernauth 5/57, Rishard  Harris 2 /14 and 135 for seven - Samuel Badree 67 not out, Thompson 34,  Rishi Bachan 2 /24, Richard Kelly 2 /27 vs  SHAZAM BABWAH TEAM B 130 - Imran Khan 28, Gibran Mohammed 26, Kyron Lynch 4/31, Dave Mohammed 3/33, Reyad Emrit 2/21.