An exciting weekend of cricket concluded this past weekend with six thrilling matches in the Pole 9 Windball Cricket Competition.
On Saturday the local derby between Stable Boys and Combined proved to be a one- sided affair with Combine 11 running away with the match by 30 runs. Batting first, Combined powered their way to a respectable total of 128 for six, with G Webb getting 36. He was well supported by T Rajkumar (19). Stable Boys replied with 98 for eight in their allotted overs. Trinidad and Tobago players Dwayne Bravo, opening the batting for Stable Boys got a duck. He was bowled by V Pierre who ended with three wickets for seven runs. A Jangoo top scored for Stable Boys with 17 not out. In another match Xavier Youths (124/6) opened their account in the Pole 9 competition in dramatic fashion toppling group leaders, Block Boys. (105). J Japaul was the best bowler for Block Boys with figures of four for 23, while A Nanhoo, 43, was the leading scorer for Xavier. He returned with the ball to claim four for 27.
POLE 9 CRICKET SCORES
Xavier Youths 124/6 (A. Nanhoo 43, H Mohammed 21, J. Japaul 4/23) def
Block Boys 105/10 (J. Japaul 13, A. Nanhoo 4/27) —- By 19 runs.
Combine 11 128/6 (G Webb 36, T. Rajkumar 19) def Stable Boys 98/8 (A.
Jangoo 17, D. Pierre 3/7) —- By 30 runs.
Antrax 132/4 (I. Ali 46, J. Walcott 25, V. Srinath 24) lost to Coconut Boys
133/ 7 (N. Mohammed 41, R. Alexander 2/3) —- By 3 wkts.
Quality Boys 106/10 (M. Boodoosingh 46) lost to Win Lose or Draw 109/6 (S.
Ramcharitar 50) —- By 4 wkts.
Xterminators 59/10 (N Dwarika 26, R. Ramcharan 4/18, J. Poliah 3/3) lost to
Blood Brothers 61/7 (D.Mohammed 2/20, L. Persad 2/22) —- By 3 wkts.
Caribbean Little Devils, Suriname’s number one basketball team for the last four seasons are likely to play in a tournament in Trinidad and Tobago soon.
This was discussed when the newly appointed executive of the Trinidad and Tobago Basketball Federation held an impromptu meeting on Monday at the St Paul’s Street Gymnasium in Port-of-Spain. Present were president Clayton Blackman; vice-president, Organisation and Development June Rogers; General-secretary Rachel Thompson; and Vice-President Finance, Communication and Marketing, Dennis Taye.
Representing the North Zone was Keith Clement while Barry Jackson of the South Zone was also there. A decision was made to postpone the competition by one month and the board is scheduled to meet on Saturday at St Paul’s Street to further discuss Trinidad and Tobago’s participation in the Caricom Basketball Championships later this year. All zonal commissioners, presidents of associated members including the paraplegic, coaches and schools associations and the Association of Basketball Officials of Trinidad and Tobago are invited to the meeting.
The Skeene Hyacenth Football Institute (SKHY) and Lucozade Sport have teamed up to stage three football camps at St Anthony’s College Grounds, West-moorings and Presentation College Ground at Union Hall, San Fernando.
The camp will be run by six former national football players and will focus on skill development and include fun activities such as football tennis and Olympics, games, lectures and videos aimed at boys and girls five to 19. Awards will also be handed out at the end of the camp. At the St Anthony’s Grounds there will be two four-day sessions, the first which started on Monday and will end on Friday.
The second gets going from July 14-18 from 8 am to 3.30. The sessions at Presentation College Grounds are from July 21-25 from 8 am to 4 pm. Transport will be made available and the price of registration is $200 for one week, $350 for two weeks and $500 for all three weeks before July 1. After that date all prices increase by $25. Registration forms are available at any branch of Kenny’s Sports Centre and interested persons can call 640-7921 or e-mail skeene@tstt.net.tt for further information.
Jan Lucien Simonette on the boat “Escape” caught the heaviest Kingfish weighing 13.01kg at the fifth annual Junior Angler Fishing tournament sponsored by Holiday Snacks/Bermudez Biscuit at Chaguaramas.
Organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Game Fishing Associa-tion, the tournament, contested in beautiful sunny weather and tranquil waters produced 193 head of fish. Simonette was also adjudged the “Best Angler” in the 14-16 age group with a total weight of 19.48kg in the competition. A total of 88 children in 21 boats set sail on calm waters to contest honours in the following age groups: 6 to 10; 11 to 13 and 14 to 16.
Natasha Maingot fishing on “Bite Up,” her father’s boat emerged the “Best Female Angler” with a total weight of 8.92kg while “Moon Shadow” and crew Andrew Valdez, Christian Valdez and Bret Thompson were adjudged “Best Boat/Team” with a total weight of 30.33kg. In the age groups Ross Hosang on “Fancy Man” with a total weight of 19.85kg was named “Best Angler” in the 6-10 category; and in the 11-13 group on “Mama Mia” Christian Bernard was tops with a total of 10.45kg. At Salis Restaurant, Power Boats Mutual Facilities, Cha-guaramas, the outstanding young anglers were presented with their prizes by Bermudez representative Shameel Jahoor at the end of the day.
Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre have offered a $10,000 scholarship prize for the overall age-group winners of the Trinidad and Tobago Triathlon Association’s (TTTA) “Kids of Steel” series.
Latest stage is an Aquathlon challenge for the first time for children 15 years and under on Sunday from 10 am in Chaguaramas. Featuring competition in three age groups: 9 and Under, 10-12 and 13-15 the race promises to be full of competitive buzz. All eyes will be on nine-time duathlon winner Raymond Ramcharan and triathlon champ Jason Gooding, who have also captured his speciality an identical number of times but missed the race last year. The event will begin at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre and then proceed into the nearby Chagville Beach. It is the second of the four-race Kids of Steel triathlon series. The next event in the series is carded is the National Duathlon Championships on Saturday, August 30 at 1.30 pm. For further information visit www.geocities.com/triathlontrinidad or call 633-8386 or 766-5358.
BAJAN CONNECTION who has been in trememdous form recently with a win and second in her last two starts, showed she will not be easily beaten in the Restricted Handicap over 1100 metres on Saturday, Day 21 of this year’s Arima Race Club season.
On a track made wet/fast by overnight rains, the filly sped over 600 metres in just over 11 seconds to the furlong, completing the gallop in 34.6 seconds. And Sweet Tempo, a disappointing seventh in the CLICO Midsummer Classic on Indian Arrival Day, June 20, displayed much sparkle in a gallop over a similar distance. The Freshly Squeezed/Up Tempo offspring, relishing underfoot conditions, hustled over trip in 34.7 seconds. Not many horses were seen out yesterday as trainers took things easy with three days before the 10-race programme at Santa Rosa Park, Arima. But also showing some fire at the gallops was Misa’s Gold who went over 600 metres in 37.2 seconds.
Celebration Time who followed home Top Of The Class in the CLICO Midsummer Classic and is topweighted for Saturday’s 1750 metres race, clocked an excellent time of 1:02.8 seconds, and must be noted in the event for three-year-olds who have not won more than three career races. And Glenn Mendez stablemate Squeezed Moment was a shade slower over the same trip completed in 1:03.4 seconds. Another good gallop came from Beautiful Mind, also trained by Mendez. The Kdanzc/Mind Set three-year-old bay colt stepped 800 metres in a good 48.8 seconds to show off his well being. Most other trainers will round off their preparations for Saturday’s meet with some faster work today.
Here are gallops recorded yesterday:
400 METRES – TRAVEL AGENT – 29.9.
600 METRES – BAJAN CONNECTION – 34.6; FIRST TIME41.9; MANDELA – 42.4; MISA’S GOLD – 37.2; SONG OF FREEDOM- 44.9; SWEET LAURA LEE – 44.6; SWEET TEMPO 34.7.
800 METRES – BEAUTIFUL MIND – 48.8; CREME CARAMEL – 59.9; EL GUERROUJ – 59.9; JOINT VENTURE – 54.9.
1000 METRES – CELEBRATION TIME – 1:02.8; HONOR BOUND – 1:13.6;
SQUEEZED MOMENT – 1:03.4.
Trinidad and Tobago’s leading fast bowler Mervyn Dillon is aiming to bounce back as the premier bowler in the region if given the opportunity to play in Zimbabwe and South Africa later this year.
”I am disappointed that I wasn’t able to get a lot of wickets in the two recent series against Australia and Sri Lanka but all I can say is that I just fell into a little slump,” said Dillon yesterday.
After taking 76 International wickets (Tests and One-Day Internationals) in 2002, Dillon performed disappointingly during the Cable and Wireless back to back series at home. Prior to that he enjoyed a good World Cup and was instrumental in the West Indies winning the opening match against South Africa. After a good start by openers Hershelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten, he removed the former with an excellent outswinger. With the South Africans making a comeback led by Kirsten, Dillon was re-introduced into the attack and removed the dangerous left-hander with a well disguised slower delivery. When the Australians arrived in the Caribbean he led the attack and enjoyed his best returns with a four-wicket haul in the last Test at Antigua, which the West Indies won getting a record score of 418 for seven.
In the First Test against Sri Lanka he was very economical but failed to take a wicket and was dropped for the Second Test. A virtual unknown, Fidel Edwards of Barbados was introduced. In two previous Tests at Sabina, Dillon took 15 wickets. “Every player had a bad series and I am putting it down to that plain and simple. Great bowlers like Michael Holding had lean spells but came back better bowlers and this I hope to do,” the Toco-born Dillon said. “I am in the process of leaving for Miami, USA to take my daughters to DisneyWorld for a vacation and after I return I will be heading straight to the gym.” Dillon accompanied by his wife Sophia and daughters Destiny and Merelle will leave today. “I am very happy for the youngsters Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards who did very well in the Test in St Lucia. This kind of competition will just make me a better bowler. “When you know guys are on your heels for a pick you tend to raise your level of performance. I have been to South Africa already in 1998 and hopefully if I get to go there again I will have the knowledge of what is required in their conditions,” the lanky pacer promised.
Dillon also praised skipper Brian Lara who he says is constructing a very good team. “Brian’s leadership has been great and he is motivating the players around him to do well. He is also leading by example and this is really fantastic. “The West Indies will do well in South Africa this time because we have 17 good players to choose from and once the right combination gets into the Test we are going to redeem ourselves after the disaster of 1998,” Dillon said. The West Indies went under 5-0 in the Tests and 6-1 in the One-Day International series in 1998.
JOE PUBLIC find themselves in a “must-win” situation today against South West Institute of Football (SWIF) at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya when the second-round of the First Citizens’ Bank (FCB) Cup quarterfinals takes place from 6 pm.
The “Eastern Lions” suffered a shock 1-0 loss to the tournament’s debutants at the Palo Seco recreation ground two weeks ago, their lone defeat in the 2003 football season. Both teams also battled to a 1-1 draw in the Pro League on May 25, also at Palo Seco. Another key contest will be held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo with reigning champs Defence Force meeting W Connection. Connection hold a 2-1 lead after the first leg at the Ato Boldon Stadium on June 25 but that defeat was the Army-Coast Guard combination’s only setback in their last seven matches.
Though strikers Russell Pope and Sherman “Ants” Phillip have been in fine goal-scoring form for D/Force, Connection is tipped as the favourites to advance to the semis. In their other clash this season, at the Pro League opener on May 4, Connection walked away winners by a 1-0 margin. North East Stars will face a tough South Starworld Strikers at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima while CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh will have an easy task against Caledonia AIA at the Ato Boldon Stadium. Both North East Stars and Jabloteh hold 2-0 advantages after first leg action.
TRINIDAD and Tobago’s top pistol shoot Cpl Roger Daniel is rounding into form for the upcoming Pan American Games in Santo Domingo.
The Army crackshot recently returned home after shooting double gold in the air pistol and free pistol categories at the Copa Cup. This tournament was staged in Santo Domingo on July 4. In the process Cpl Daniel broke the Caribbean record in the free pistol. It was the final preparation for Cpl Daniel for the Pan Am Games. He recently returned from a European tour where he met and trained under several of the world’s leading marksmen. Cpl Daniel is a top medal hopeful for Trinidad and Tobago in Santo Domingo.
THE CUREPE Football League will kick off their 2003 season on Sunday, July 13 at the Knowles Street Recreation Ground in Curepe.
The opening match will feature last season’s play-off for third place, House of Dread from Tunapuna coming up against El Tucuche FC of Maracas from 4 pm. Yesterday, hard working organiser of the competition “Dads” McLean said at stake will be a beautiful trophy and 16 uniforms in a match that did not take place last season. Winners of the competition last year were Paradise FC while Curepe Progressive were the runners-up. McLean said the 2003 competition will be contested in the Senior and Under-17 categories and interested clubs can contact him at telephone number 770-7101.
