A number of teams secured entry into the second phase of the Pole 9 Windball Cricket competition last weekend. Among those teams were Colts with a resounding victory against Flames, Stag Renegades, Block Boyz and Dollar Touch. One of the more exciting matches was between Stag Renegades and Savannah Boys. Batting first Savannah Boys made a respectable total of 100 for seven wickets with K Sewah, 19, leading the way. When Stag Renegades batted they responded with 104 for five wickets. Clarence Holder (31) and A Goden (44 n.o.) saw their team to victory. In another high scoring match, Auto Village Dollar Touch (185/5) scored the highest total of the competition. Kirk Moore (58 n.o.) was at his best against the Blood Brothers bowlers, smashing the ball to all parts of the boundary, exciting the large crowd who were fortunate to see his knock. He was ably supported by Barry Nicholas, 30, and Allister Pierre, 29. When they batted, Blood Brothers put up a gallant effort with S Mohammed proving that he could compete with the best scoring a brilliant 41. However, he was not given the support and as such his team capitulated for 122.
POLE 9 CRICKET SCORES
Colts 96/8 (K Gonzales 54, V Maharaj 5/13) def Flames 80/10 (J Daroon 20, N Sampson 3/11 E Marquis 2/7) – By 16 runs.
Win Lose or Draw 55/10 (V Kalicharan 3/16, N Sookhai 3/5) lost to Savannah Boys 58/5 (K Ballah 17 not out) – By 5 wkts.
Blood Brothers 69/10 (R Ramcharan 12, R Pancham 16, P Kalicharan 4/17) lost to Stable Boys 71/3 (R Sammy 32 not out) – By 7 wkts.
Dollar Touch 117/6 (F Lezama 20, S Raymond 16, C James 3/28) def Xterminators 80/7 (Dave Mohammed 27, M Solozano 2/10) – By 37 runs.
New Generation 74/9 (N. Bishop 12, V Ramkissoon 3/6, R. Moha 2/25 lost to Block Boyz 80/7 (R Ramdeen 13 V Ramkissoon 13 n.o. D George 2/9, W. Baptiste 2/8) – By 3 wkts.
Savannah Boys 100/7 (K. Sewah 19, V. Boodram 11 R Baksh 3/21, T Reece 2/17) lost to Stag Renegades 104/5 (A. Goden 44 n.o. C Holder 31, K. Sewah 2/10. A Kangal 2/28) – By 5 wkts.
Dollar Touch 185/5 (K Moore 58 n.o., B. Nicholas 30, C Britto 24, A Pierre 29) def Blood Brothers 122/8 (S Mohammed 41, R Singh 17, A Moonaram 3/25, V Peters 3/28)- By 63 runs.
THE West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) have appointed Kumar Rampat as their Territorial Cricket Development Officer in Trinidad and Tobago for a two-year period.
Rampat, who is involved in the local youth coaching programme sponsored by Scotia Bank and Flavorite Ice Cream, was recommended by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board for the post. He proudly accepted the honour, promising to do his best at all times.
Punters who followed favourites had their accounts dented and pants beaten off on Saturday at the Arima Race Club’s Day 22 card at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. The 10-race card, on which a numbers of runners were sent off at odds-on, was one of the rare occasions in local racing which proved a nightmare for supporters of the fancied runners as neither of the market leaders visited the charmed circle. A sign was given when the day’s racing started on a sour note. From the eight runners taking entry, seven were asked to face the starter, after Harold Chadee’s Shear Magic, the lone opponent to trainer Maniram Maharaj’s outfit was declared a non-runner. From the lot, one bolted just before the start and raced back to the paddock, trimming the field down to six. The lackadaisical manner by which handlers at the gates work was evident once more. Their inability to load horses quickly, or to deal with fractious and inexperienced runners saw another two runners taken out.
Their withdrawal was at a cost to the race club, which not only lost face but needed revenue which were eventually refunded to punters who had bet on the scratched runners. The race lacked interest thereafter. The second event saw the unraced Mutola and Cash Reward heading the betting, but both were seen off by the consistent Bob’s Treasure, who won with something to spare. Gold Conveyor, was backed into favouritism after his convincing win over a similar Starter Allowance bunch last month. But he flattered to deceive, after being in the lead for halfway. The performance was not a true indication of his ability. Song Of Freedom, who was headlined in the daily newspapers, was backed as though losing was out the question. He too dropped away tamely after being pointed at the top of the straight. Toronto Star and Queen’s Band could not match the kick of Ruby Rich (11/1) up the stretch in the Handicap that followed, and Indian Game failed to respond to pressure in the Optional Claimer won by 5/1 choice Estilon.
Lady Rossie, who closed off at 11/1, continued the trend against the more favoured Affirm Decision and Loud Music in the other handicap. Soon after First Time, romped to a seven-length victory ahead of the more fancied pair of Tora Bora and Honey Belle, who lost their chances at the start. Sea Spider, who has been running consistently well in the higher league had no answer to V For Victory, the 5/1 choice in the market and rank outsider Cold Risk in the Optional Claiming $14,000 contest. Balthazar, came storming up the stretch late but failed in his attempt to peg back Peace Consort. This ended the day on a sorry note for favourites and their backers, who in some instances seem to have reasons for complaints, either to the poor start to the day’s programme and/or some indifferent riding tactics being employed.
TORONTO, Canada: Trinidadian jockey Emile Ramsammy captured Sunday’s Izvestia Stakes on a day Caribbean racing men secured six wins at Woodbine, Canada’s premier race track. Ramsammy was the pilot for the impressive six-year-old horse Wake At Noon, as he snatched a 1-3/4 length win in the CAN$106,000 Izvestia, while Jamaicans Laurie Silvera (trainer) and Shane Ellis (jockey) and Barbadian jockeys Slade Callaghan and Simon Husbands made winners’ enclosure appearances. Wake At Noon, Canada’s 2002 horse of the year, led the field under Ramsammy and won ahead Anglian Prince, the 3-2 favourite, and the 11-1 chance Forever Grand, with Barbadian jockey Jono Jones riding.
Callaghan scored two wins, Melisma’s Valley (5-1) in the seventh and 2-1 favourite Swift of Flight in the 10th race. Callaghan narrowly missed a three-timer when he finished second by a head astride 26-1 outsider Regal Valley, behind Organ Grinder (5-1) with Simon Husbands riding. Husbands is enjoying a good run of form with 23 wins for joint 12th in the jockeys’ standings, behind led by Todd Kabel (73), Patrick Husbands (69), James McAleney (48) and Ramsammy (45). Ellis scored his win aboard Sugar Kick (8-1) by -length in the first, and Silvera saddled third race winner Peakaboo Peek, who scored by 5-1/2 lengths under jockey Julia Brimo.
TORONTO, Canada: Barbadian jockey Patrick Husbands completed the second leg of Canadian horse racing’s triple crown aboard the impressive colt Wando, and swept the trio of stakes races on a fabulous day for him at Fort Erie on Sunday. Husbands steered hot 3-10 favourite Wando to an easy four-length win in the CAN$500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, and he also landed the Benburb and Border Cup Stakes races. The Prince of Wales victory, coming on the heels of Wando’s equally impressive score in the triple crown’s first leg, last month’s Queen’s Plate, gave Wando a second leg up on his quest for a lucrative series.
Arco’s Gold (7-1) was second and Shoal Water (6-1) finished third, as Wando covered the 1-1/16th mile trip in one minute 55.84 seconds. A win in the CAN$500,000 Breeders’ Stakes, a 1.5 mile turf race at Woodbine on August 9, would make Wando the seventh horse to pull off the Canadian Triple since its inauguration in 1959, and the first since Peteski in 1993. Husbands was capping a perfect day as he also won the CAN$68,900 Benburb aboard 7-2 chance Geraint by ? a length, and the CAN $65,300 Border Cup with 8-5 favourite Agolo by 2-1/4 lengths.
Brian Chase Academy women basketballers are the first winners of the Eastern Community Basketball League Knock-out competition. This after they recorded an emphatic 55-22 win over Police at the Maloney Indoor Sport Facility on Sunday evening. Playing in front of a small crowd of the Maloney basketball faithful, the Academy women got into their rhythm from the tip-off. Tenneika Hartley collected the ball unmarked and put in her team’s first points of the evening. Police seemed up for the challenge, retorting with a three-point play but it was all downhill from there as the Academy’s centre Affeisha Noel took on dominant role on the inside scoring a match-high 17 points. She also held 12 rebounds and grabbed five steals. Corisia Blugh joined her Academy and Mucurapo teammate on the score sheet putting in 14 points while snatching 11 rebounds and eight steals. Nikiesha Cropper was not far behind with 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals.
The Academy’s cohesive team-effort and rhythm left Police stranded on 22, a tally for which Peggy-Ann Brown was mainly responsible scoring 11 and taking eight rebounds. In the first match on the evening, Unit Trust Maloney Pacers continued their unbreakable chain of victories with a 63-40 beating of Colours as the Division One “Big Four” began. The club continued their dream run with the help of Michael Alert’s 11 points, Derrick Williams (12) and Kenrick Bernard’s 13, 12 rebounds and five steals. Pacers’ performance defeated the purpose of Colours’ Akil La Roche who registered 16 points, Foma Francois’ 12 and Marvin Humphrey’s defensive 15 rebounds, three steals and three points. Pacers will now be favoured to add the “Big Four” to their Division One and two Knock-out titles already procured this season. In another match on Sunday, Edinburgh Hawks fell victim to the advances of the predatorial Marabella Raptors as the latter romped to a 76-67 win in their Division One “Big Four” match-up following the women’s final. Both teams had prominent scorers which made for a good fight on the boards to secure the win but Raptors eventually won the battle with Damian Caton scoring 12 and taking nine rebounds. Asfa Grant scored 13 with 11 rebounds; Kendal Britto also had 13 points and Louis Davis made 18. Ako Pascal recorded a match-high 27 points to put an exclamation point on the win for Raptors, while Hawks’ Dexter Hughue, Marvin Celestine and Jason Friday scored ten each. Dereck Hughue hit a team-high 14 points and nine rebounds in an effort to quell the storming Raptors. “Big Four” matches continue at Maloney today.
The TT Ambassadors Under-21 basketball team will leave on August 6 for Venezuela. The basketballers are scheduled to participate in the 34th Annual “Feria de la Consolacion” International Tournament. The matches will be played in Tariba, Estado Tachira and Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela where the TT Ambassadors will join teams from other participating countries such as Panama and Colombia. After a 10-year break, the TT Ambassadors are returning to Venezuela hoping to re-kindle their outstanding performances that led to victory in 1992 and second place the following year.
The team was selected from youths around the country, with special effort being placed on Maloney and the Eastern Community Basketball League. The administrator is Oda Joseph, a Trinidadian working and residing in Venezuela. Joseph has been involved in local basketball for over 20 years. He is ably assisted by June Rogers, team secretary and organiser in undertaking this ambitious project. The team coach is Chris Jackson who is currently putting the team through their paces. Joseph is also asking for donations, not only in monetary value, but also equipment and kit. For further information or support, contact Joseph at 621-2389 or 758-4145.
LEADING Trinidad and Tobago bodybuilder Darrem Char-les, ranked 11th in the professional world circuit, and American Melvin Anthony, rated 10th in the world, are expected to face off in a “friendly” contest at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Macoya, Tunapuna next Saturday. Occasion is the 2003 Eastern Caribbean Bodybuilding and Fitness Regional Championships, which will begin at 6 pm. A 12-member national team was presented to the media at Long Circular Mall, St James, on Saturday. Manager Sandra Daniel declared that “the team is quite excited and are really looking to it.
“They are doing a lot of hard work and are prepared for the contest,” she said. Daniel revealed that the venue was shifted from the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain as was previously advertised, due to the demands for tickets for the show. Charles, Anthony and Karen Walcott, who won a “Miss Fitness” title at a recently-held contest in Puerto Rico, are the guest posers billed to perform. Participating countries include Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Ba-rbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Vincent and the US Virgin Islands.
Haseem McLean of Presentation College, Chaguanas emerged the most outstanding cyclist in the recent Interschool Cycling Championships. McLean, riding in the Boys 15 and Over category copped first place in the matchsprint event, and took silver in 15 laps. The competition took place on Saturday at Skinner Park, San Fernando, after it was postponed twice because of inclement weather. The event was held in honour of Noel Luces, a former national cyclist. It was organised and sponsored by Southhampton Cycling Club and Anthony “Bike Doctor” Commissiong Sports and Culture Promotions. Other outstanding pedal-pushers on the day were Kristoff Frontin and Trevor Commissiong. Frontin, competing in the Boys Under-6 category won the one-lap and two-lap races; while Frontin raced among the Boys Under-12, winning the one-lap and placing second in the two-lap.
RESULTS
Racing Bike
Under-15 Boys: (Match-sprint and 15 Laps) 1 Bevon Luces (San Fernando East Junior Secondary School); 2 Romeo Sampson (St Mary’s Training Centre); 3 Keith Sankar (Servol).
15 and Over Boys: (Matchsprint) 1 Haseem McLean (Presentation College, Chaguanas); 2 Brendon Phillip (Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive School); 3 Marc Codrington (San Fernando East Junior Secondary School).
15 and Over Boys: (15 Laps) 1 Marc Codrington (San Fernando East Junior Secondary School); 2 Haseem McLean (Presentation College, Chaguanas); 3 Andy Rawlin(Servol).
Most Outstanding Cyclist: Haseem McLean (Presentation College, Chaguanas).
Most Outstanding School: San Fernando East Junior Secondary School
BMX
Boys Under-6: (One-Lap) 1 Kristoff Frontin (San Fernando Boys RC School); 2 Kyle Fonrose (Gasparillo Government School); 3 Ronwyn Medina (San Fernando Boys RC School).
Boys Under-6: (Two Laps) 1 Kristoff Frontin (San Fernando Boys RC School); 2 Ronwyn Medina (San Fernando Boys RC School); 3 Ronwell Medina (San Fernando Boys RC School).
Boys Under-9: (One Lap) 1 Kevin Fonrose (Gasparillo Government School); 2 Anzinga Commissiong (San Fernando Girls Government School); 3 Willie Patterson (Bien Venue Presbyterian, La Romain).
Boys Under-9: (Two Laps) 1 Anzinga Commissiong (San Fernando Girls Government School); 2 Willie Patterson (Bien Venue Presbyterian, La Romain); 3 Tja Frontin (St Gabriel’s RC).
Boys Under-12: (One Lap) 1 Trevor Commissiong (San Fernando Boys Government School); 2 Kriston Yearwood (Vance River RC); 3 Rudy Ashton(San Fernando Boys RC School).
Boys Under-12: (Five Laps) 1 Rudy Ashton (San Fernando Boys RC School); 2 Trevor Commissiong (San Fernando Boys Government School); 3 Kriston Yearwood (Vance River RC).
Most Outstanding School (Boys): San Fernando Boys RC School; (Girls) San Fernando Girls Government School.
Most Outstanding Rider: (Boys) Trevor Commissiong (San Fernando Boys Government School); (Girls) Anzinga Commissiong (San Fernando Girls Government School).
BRIDGETOWN: Jamaica’s 16-year-old “Superman” Usain Bolt says a relaxed approach in the home stretch earned him his world record-equalling run at the Pan American Junior Track and Field Championship on Sunday. Bolt ran the fastest race of his career to equal an 18-year-old world junior (Under-20) record for 200 metres at 20.13 seconds. “Somebody reminded me that I should just get in the straight and relax, and I did just that,” Bolt told reporters. “I am very proud of myself,” he added. Bolt equalled American Roy Martin’s 1985 mark and also lowered his own world youth (Under-18) mark he had logged in Kingston earlier this year at Jamaica’s National High School Championship. Bolt, the reigning World Junior and World Youth champion over the distance, registered one of only two English-speaking Caribbean victories at the three-day meet.
He admitted he became a little anxious going into his race after seeing his teammate Aneisha McLaughlin, last week’s World Youth champion, beaten — into second spot — in her 200-metre run. “After Aneisha’s race where she tightened up a bit in the straight, I was more nervous than usual,” Bolt said. St. Lucian Erma-Gene Evans captured the English-speaking Caribbean’s other gold medal when she landed the women’s javelin title at 49.67 metres, defeating Canadian Krista Woodward (48.90) and Nicaragua’s Dalila Rugama (48.61). A total of 10 Pan American Junior records were broken, to go with Bolt’s world junior record. The United States dominated the medals, collecting 48, 20 gold, 18 silver and 10 bronze medals, to lead Cuba with 9 (7-1-1), Brazil 10 (5-2-3) and Argentina 5 (2-1-2). Jamaica collected 15 medals, the second highest haul, but had to settle for sixth in the table because they had only one gold. They won nine silver and five bronze. The next edition of the Pan American Junior Championships will be staged in Windsor, Canada during the third week of August, 2005.
