Lequay urges full use of Couva facilities

Making this point and offering "sincere congratulations to the team which convincingly defeated Barbados last week in Barbados to capture Carib Beer Cricket Series title," was ex-chief executive officer and president of the TTCB Alloy Lequay.

Lequay recalled that the victory reminded him "of my involvement in 1985 when we last won the Shell Shield with the euphoria and happiness at fever pitch not only with the cricketing fratrernity but nationwide." He attributed the achievement of the team "to the board’s development plan which had been intensified at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Development Centre."

He stressed: "Training should be vigorously pursued and designed to ensure continuity with special emphasis on mental preparedness, team unity, discipline, a forward-looking approach and cohesion, if we are to maintain being a winning force in the region."

The veteran sporting administrator "recalled with pride the success of our under-15 and under 19 teams in recent years with many members graduating to the national team, and this proves the true value of our developmental process and thrust that have been methodically laid down over the years.

"We must not rest on our laurels in the midst of our victory. We must remember that we faltered badly against the Windward Islands two weeks ago and our out-cricket against Barbados at times was disgraceful," he added

"Nonetheless our team showed commitment and must be sincerely congratulated on their dedication and their desire to end the drought of defeat over two decades," Lequay said. Of captain Daren Ganga, the administrator said: "He desrves special congratulations for his ability to unite the team and to endeavour to bring out the best among the young players ."

But, Lequay was "not happy with the overall standard of cricket at the regional level as nothing new, nobody new has sprung up and there is still a long way to go before we can be considered again as a top team in the world."