NSL windball cricket bowls off Sunday

Nationwide Sports League’s national windball cricket competition will begin on Sunday (May 23) at the NSL Grand Slam Park, Marabella. Teams from south and central Trinidad will compete in a five-overs competition to bowl off a season which promises the largest cash prize package ever in the local windball game. Chairman of the National League, Terry Apping was optimistic about this year’s competition and its new structure. This season features the inclusion of lesser known up and coming teams and players competing against seasoned outfits for the $40,000 man’s prize and the $10,000 women’s purse.

Kiran Maharaj, is Managing-Director of Radio 90.5 FM, sponsors of this year’s championships. She said the NSL vision of “Bringing Communities Together in Sport”is well-aligned with that of her station as they seek to hold the title of “the people’s station” through the promotion of community activity. This is the first time that the two entities are collaborating for the national championships and Maharaj asserted that they will once team up as Trinidad and Tobago make a thrust to host the Caribbean Windball Championships in 2007. The teams from south and central will be part of a full uniform march past before the start of the five over competition.

The opening fixture will begin at 10 am at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua and on June 6  NSL action will for the first time move to Tobago. This is an obvious year of  improvement on the six-year competition as it will also be the first time Tobago teams will compete in NSL’s National League. This would allow players from the sister isle to have the same opportunity as their counterparts in Trinidad to share the national limelight. West Indies player Dave “Tadpole” Mohammed, Daren Ganga, Dwayne Bravo, Ravi Rampaul and Dinesh Ramdhin are expected to be at the league’s opening.

They are expected  to meet teams and supporters as they participate in a full day of family activities including a team cookout, stalls, promotional booth, promotional games and giveaways for the children. Teams interested in participating are asked to contact the NSL office at 658-3503 or 658-6202 or contact the following league centres: Harold Joe Sports Centre, Tunapuna; Ramsingh’s Sports World, Couva and Chaguanas; Tobago Electrical Limited, Scarborough; No.5 Bar, Fanny Village Point Fortin; Shoe Zone, Rio Claro; and the NSL Sports Centre, next to Drugs World, Southern Main Road, Marabella.