Super League cricketers rewarded

“And you may even go down in history as having restored the West Indies to its rightful place as cricket heroes,” Messiah said.

He was at the time delivering the feature address at the annual presentation function of the National Super League organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Development Centre, Balmain, Couva on Saturday

Bmobile had for the first time sponsored the Super League and because of its size a separate presentation was staged apart from the board’s annual prize distribution function carded to take place on Saturday, August 5 at the Eric Williams Medical Complex, Mount Hope.

“Cricket might have been invented by the English but I am sure that none will doubt me when I say that it was perfected by the West Indies,” Messiah said.

“ I do not say this because of the accomplishments of our very own world record-holder Brian Lara, but because of the tenacity and determination shown by our West Indies team even in the face of great disappointments,” he said.

Messiah said he was proud and happy to see all of the young cricketers have taken up the mantle and are continuing in the great tradition of the sport called cricket.

Messiah said that TSTT was there from the start sharing in the vision and providing a backbone of support and resources for the Soca Warriors football team who have shown what courage and resoluteness of purpose can achieve when they took the nation along with them on their journey to Germany for the 2006 World Cup.

“That is why things are coming together for you as many of you have distinguished yourselves in the league and are receiving prizes today. You have shown team spirit and good sportsmanship,” Messiah said.

TSTT view the Super League as a testing ground for nurturing young talent and because of this they have decided to give their support and want to ensure that there is a legacy in place for the creation of great West Indian cricketers.

“ We want to encourage you to be positive, to be hopeful and to dream and we assure you that TSTT will be there for you,” Messiah said.

Deryck Murray, president of the TTCB, in his address, said he was somewhat scared when he heard that Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene was closing in on Brian Lara’s world record of 400 runs in a Test match.

The Sri Lankan captain was evenrually out for 374 runs against South Africa in the First Test match in Colombo on Saturday.

“But it is still a pleasure to know that one of our local cricketers is still the holder of the world Test record for the individual highest score,” Murray said.

“The wicked side of me would not have minded too much if the record had been broken because then I would know that in the very near future Brian Lara would make 450 runs in another innings. And there is no better place to do it than at Lord’s when the West Indies tour England in 2007. But I suppose we have to settle for a double century at Lord’s,” he said.

He congratulated Jayawardene for his 374 runs and said that most batsmen would be happy to make 74 runs in an innnings.

“To make a double century or a triple century in a Test match is great and to think that Brian had scored 375 (when he broke Sir Garfield Sobers’ record) puts his achievement into perspective, and again reminds us what Trinidad and Tobago is capable of in terms of not just sports but in the talent that we have and which we must continue to develop and nurture,” he said.

He thanked bmobile for their sponsorship of the National Super League.

He praised the national team for their performance at the regional level this year and noted that they are continuing to be successful.

Murray said that success for Trinidad and Tobago is vital to success in the West Indies. “We still occupy the eighth position in World Cricket and anything outside of the top three is not acceptable. We in Trinidad and Tobago must play our part in ensuring that we get back there in the shortest possible time and in a consistent basis.”

HONOUR ROLL

NORTH — 1 Moosai’s Sports; 2 Queen’s Park; 3 Sweet Revenge.

RESERVE — 1 Moosai’s Sports; 2 Fullham Sports

CENTRAL — 1 Old Mac Agro Sports; 2 Brand Source Spoilers

Player of the Year— Hansraj Persad of Exchange Sports

RESERVE — 1 Esmeralda Sports; 2 Preysal Valley Boys

SOUTH — 1 R&D and RRJ Cosmos Sports Club; 2 Rahamat’s Evergreen

RESERVE — 1 Rahamat’s Evergreen; 2 Police Sports Club

40 OVERS — 1 Queen’s Park; 2 Cosmos Sports;

MID WEEK LIMITED OVERS —1 Sweet Revenge; 2 Cosmos Sports

CRICKETER OF THE YEAR — Hansraj Persad of Old Mac Agro Exchange Sports Club

CLUB OF THE YEAR — R&D and RRJ Cosmos Sports Club