Govt gives $1.3 million for cricket

And yesterday $1.3 million was handed over for this purpose.

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Roger Boynes hinted that there is the possibility of sending a secondary schools cricket team to Australia.

Boynes said that government had held talks with the Australians with a view to deepening their exchange programme.

“We have held discussions for local coaches to go Down Under on coaching courses there this year,” Boynes said.

Recently fastbowler Ravi Rampaul was the beneficiary of a one- month training stint at an Australian cricket academy and according to Boynes, a lot more cricketers are expected to follow.

The sports minister revealed he was particularly pleased with recent successes Trinidad and Tobago have been enjoying since the qualification of the Soca Warriors for the World Cup Finals in Germany.

He singled-out the women’s Under-19 cricket team which won the West Indies championships two weeks ago; the achievement of the Calypso Girls netballers who qualified for the World Championships next year and the volleyballers who captured the regional crown on Sunday in Jamaica.

Boynes said while it was agreed that the young female cricketers will receive their reward at a later date, he praised the men for their second place at the just concluded Stanford Twenty/20 cricket tournament in Antigua.

Yesterday Boynes hosted a programme to award the cricketers for their achievements at CLICO’s Corporate Box at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

Boynes rewarded captain Daren Ganga and his men with a whopping $550,000 which will be equally distributed among the team for their personal development and enhancement.

The national team also won the Carib Shield and the International Challenge Trophy, their first regional crown in 21 years. Boynes also handed over $400,000 for the develoment of cricket of the regional associations as well as the Primary School Cricket League and the Secondary Schools Cricket League (SSCL). In addition, government also allocated $400,000 to Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) which will be used to purchase 12 bowling machines. The machines will be used by the various zones and the schools.

Also 16 clubs which participated at the recent Twenty/20 Carib National League series were rewarded with cash incentives.

The teams received $6,000 each while the national cricketers were also presented with $30,000 for their performances.

Government also recognised the Fulham Sports Club on their celebration of 50 years of contribution to the youth and the national community in the area of sports. The club was given $25,000 to assist with their youth programme.