Murray aims for sports institute

TRINIDAD and Tobago Cricket Board presidential candidate Deryck Murray will pursue the setting up of a national sports institute. Murray said, if elected, this will be uppermost in his mind. He was delivering the feature address at the North Zone Secondary Schools prize distribution  function at City Hall, Port-of-Spain, on Sunday evening.

The ex-West Indies wicket keeper/batsman said: “What we need in Trinidad and Tobago is a sports institute as they have in Australia, which will help our athletes tremendously. “It makes no sense building a cricket centre and activities are not taking place for the development of the game. We  need to have meaningful programmes and  this will help in the development of  the cricketer.” Murray said his vision is for Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies cricket to be  number one by the year 2011. “We aim to develop Trinidad and Tobago cricket to such an extent that it will be the best by the year 2011 and this will redound to the benefit of West Indies cricket, which I hope will be back to number one by that  time. “I have decided to run for office because I feel that I can make a contribution to the development of the great game in Trinidad and Tobago. I think I will be best suited to deliver as president of the board,” he added.

Murray will be vying for the presidency against TTCB 1st vice-president Ellis Lewis at the board’s 47th annual general meeting at the National Cricket Centre on October 25. President Alloy Lequay will not be standing for re-election,  but will remain as chief executive officer. He has however come out in support of  his deputy Lewis, stating he believes in succession. Meanwhile, Tranquillity’s Darren Deonarine was voted ‘Cricketer of the Year’ in  the North Zone. The Ceramic Merryboys player enjoyed a very successful season as off-spinner for Tranquil, and was instrumental in taking them to two national finals never before achieved by the school in their cricketing history.