Focus on young Tobago talent

TOBAGO will be the focus of attention in this year’s PowerGen sponsored Secondary Schools Cricket League which bowls off on January 28. At the launch of the 2005 season yesterday, new General Secretary of the SSCL Surujdath Mahabir said he was not satisfied that the talent that is abundant in the sister isle is being brought into the national spotlight. As a result he has promised to visit Tobago and meet with officials there to get the schools more involved in the competition. And he wants to arrange matches between the Tobago Zone winners and their counterparts in Trinidad. Mahabir said that every effort will be made to ensure opportunities are being provided for the outstanding Tobago cricketers to emerge on the same level as their peers in Trinidad.

The SSCL function was staged at the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board office at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. Present were league president Forbes Persaud, PowerGen Corporate Communications Officer Omar Khan, SSCL first vice-president Earl Best, and Dianne Joshua, league treasurer. Mahabir declared that the 2004 season was very successful and promised that the coming year will be another occcasion to celebrate. He welcomed the addition of St Anthony’s College to the 16-team Championship Division following their promotion. The other newcomers to the competition are ASJA Boys College of Charlieville and Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive in the South/Central Zone. Once again the Inter-Col final will be staged under lights at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre and because of the short school term will be contested this year on Friday, April 22.

Defending champions are Presentation College of Chaguanas (Championship Division) and Barrackpore Senior Comprehensive (Inter-Col). Apart from the main two competitions there will also be the all-day limited over play-off for the Under-15 teams and the Super Sixes tournament which will move to central Trinidad this year after a successful run in north last season. The Super Sixes will be officially opened on January 25 and matches will be played at the Joe Public Monroe Road Recreation Ground, Cunupia and the Alescon Comet Ground in Charlieville. Mahabir expressed concern about the future of the young girls who are desirous of playing cricket but have no avenues to pursue the game at the secondary school level.

“There are some talented girls who are playing the game but there is a dearth of female teams. We just don’t know where to send them. Maybe the Women’s Cricket Federation can address the situation,” said Mahabir. The league general secretary also outlined plans for the North against South clashes involving the Under-14s and Under-16s in an effort to revive the traditional rivalry between cricketers in the opposing districts. “We have noticed a great decline in the interest shown in the recent Pizza Hut/Gerry Gomez North/South Classic. We aim to start rekindling this interest at the secondary school level to lift the encounter back on top in the eyes of the fans,” said Mahabir.