N Touch

Hinds powers positive Windies reply

CASTRIES: Wavell Hinds blasted a thrilling, unbeaten 74 yesterday to follow two crucial wickets earlier as West Indies mounted a positive reply to Sri Lanka’s 354 all out on the second day of their opening cricket Test.

Left-hander Hinds smashed four sixes and three fours off 87 balls to power the home team to 161 for two off just 33 overs at close. Captain Brian Lara (36 not out off 47 balls) shared an unbroken third wicket stand of 95 with Hinds, as both batsmen dominated off-spinning ace Muttiah Muralitharan. Jamaican Hinds earlier claimed first day century-maker Marvan Atapattu as his each-way swing earned him two for 28 off 11 overs. Sri Lanka, overnight 250 for four, laboured to add just 104 runs over the first two sessions in 56.1 overs. Fast bowler Corey Collymore, playing in only his second Test more than four years after his debut in 1999 against Australia, led the West Indies attack and was rewarded with five  for 67 off 29 overs. It was Hinds who made the initial strike, as Atapattu was undone by Hinds’ outswing after adding just ten to his overnight 108. He edged just wide of Lara at the solitary slip off Hinds’ third delivery before repeating the stroke next ball and picking out an ecstatic Lara, who comfortably pouched the offering. The 32-year-old Atapattu batted 404 minutes and hit 15 fours off 277 balls.

Collymore, who had been cast as a one-day specialist, followed Hinds breakthrough with three wickets in 17 balls. The 25-year-old Barbadian seemed a bit fortunate to get umpire Billy Bowden’s positive leg before verdict against Romesh Kaluwitharana (2) as the ball drifted to the leg side. His next was more emphatic as Kashual Lokuarachchi (three fours in 15) edged low to first slip where Lara claimed a fine, low catch. It was the West Indies captain’s 123rd catch in 95 Tests and pushed him past former skipper Viv Richards (122 in 121 matches) on top the list of West Indian fielders. Collymore also removed a becalmed Thilan Samaraweera (11) to another questionable Bowden decision. Samaraweera added just four runs in 44 balls during the morning session before he was   ruled caught behind, although TV replays indicated the ball brushed arm and thigh, not bat.

At 288 for eight, Sri Lanka were in danger of falling for below 300. But Chaminda Vaas shared successive, defiant stands with Muralitharan (14) and last man Prabath Nissanka (13 not out)   to boost the lower order.  Vaas scored 38 off 125 balls with four boundaries.  The left-hander added 38 for the ninth wicket with Muralitharan, who went boundaryless in an unusually restrained innings that spanned 100 minutes and 69 balls. Hinds returned to earn a plain leg before decision with an inswinger against Muralitharan.  Vaas also put on 28 vital runs in an hour with Nissanka, who hit one four off 53 deliveries. Off-spinner Chris Gayle eventually claimed Vaas to a wicket-keeper’s catch to end the innings. Vaas quickly removed Daren Ganga (12) leg before at 18 for one to stall the West Indies reply.  Gayle and Hinds put on 48 for the second wicket before   Muralitharan struck in his second over to trap Gayle leg before to a straighter delivery. But the visitors’ joy was short-lived, as Hinds and Lara reeled off a succession of strokes to liven the 3,000-strong crowd. Muralitharan was lashed for two sixes and two fours by Hinds and three fours by Lara. The 31-year-old was left with swollen figures of one for 52 off nine overs. Vaas took one for 29 off 11 overs.


WEST INDIES VS SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka 1st Inns
(Overnight 250-4)
 M.Atapattu c Lara b Hinds 118
 S.Jayasuriya c Banks b Collymore 8
 K.Sangakkara LBW b Gayle 56
 M.Jayawardene c Lara b Banks 45
 H.Tillakaratne b Collymore 13
 T.Samaraweera c Jacobs b Collymore 11
 R.Kaluwitharana LBW b Collymore 2
 K.Lokuarachchi c Lara b Collymore 15
 C.Vaas c Jacobs b Gayle 38
 M.Muralitharan LBW b Hinds 14
 P.Nissanka not out 12
EXTRAS (B4, LB5, W5, NB8) 22
TOTAL (All out —- 143.2 overs) 354
Fall of wickets: 19, 127, 195, 228, 266, 269, 288, 32.
BOWLING: Dillon 29-7-48-0 (NB1, W2), Collymore 29-5-66-5 (NB6, W3), Taylor 27-3-97-0 (NB1), Hinds 11-4-28-2, Banks 33-8-74-1, Gayle 9.2-1-22-2, Samuels 3-0-9-0, Sarwan 2-1-1-0
West Indies 1st Inns
 C.Gayle LBW b Muralitharan 27
 D.Ganga LBW b Vaas 12
 W.Hinds not out  74
 B.Lara not out 36
EXTRAS (LB2, NB10) 12
TOTAL (For two wickets) 161
Fall of wickets: 18, 66.
To bat: R.Sarwan, M.Samuels, R.Jacobs, O.Banks, M.Dillon,
C.Collymore, J.Taylor.
BOWLING: Vaas 11-3-29-1 (NB4), Nissanka 8-0-47-0 (NB4), Samaraweera 4-0-31-0 (NB2), Muralitharan 9-0-52-1, Lokuarachchi 1-1-0-0.

TT women whip SVG in regional cricket

ST. GEORGE’S: Champions St. Lucia cruised to their second win when they defeated Jamaica by six wickets in the 2003 West Indies Women’s Cricket tournament on Friday.

West Indies player Nadine George spanked a half century to lead the St. Lucians past the Jamaican total of 102, while Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana also logged victories in the third round matches. St. Lucia had beaten North America on Tuesday in the only completed match before Friday. Trinidad and Tobago defeated St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) on a faster run rate in a rain-aborted match at Tanteen Recreation Ground. Sent to bat, SVG made 100 all out off 41.4 overs with West Indies players Juliana Nero (31) and Clea Hoyte (17) leading the way against Felicia Cummings (2-19) and Anisha Mohammed (2-22). West Indies players Brenda Solozano (22 not out), Shane DaSilva (16) and Nellie Williams (10) topped TT’s batting as they reached 76 for four off 28 overs. At Victoria Park, Guyana rolled over North America in a 62-run victory in a match reduced to 25 overs-a-side because of rain.

Harper speeds to sprint double

JACEY HARPER of Clemson University in the US completed the 100/200m sprint double when the National Senior Track and Field Championship concluded at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo yesterday.

Representing Rebirth club, Harper sped past his five challengers to win in 21.13 seconds, ahead of Eagles’ Kevin Prime 21.24 and Dree Ryan of Brooklyn 21.45. Sidhonie Mothersil of the Cayman Islands, friend of men’s 400m silver medallist Ato Modibo, crossed the finish line in 22.94 seconds to cop the women’s 200m title. Fana Ashby, the 2002 winner, was next in 23.05 and Tobagonian Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Zenith 23.26. The men’s 800m was a showdown between Sheridan Kirk of Zenith and Simeon Bovell of Simplex, but the experienced Kirk prevailed in 1:48.13, with Bovell 0.15 seconds behind, while the up-and-coming Carlan Arthur of Morvant Jets third in 1:52.27.

Melissa De Leon recorded a crushing victory in the women’s half-mile with a time of two minutes 4.78 seconds, with fellow Phoenix teammate Denelle De Verteuil taking silver in 2:11.37 and Aisha Hume of Petrotrin bronze in 2:12.54. Rhonda Watkins of Bishop Anstey cleared the bar at 1.76 metres to take gold in the women’s high jump. The Carifta Under-17 champ defeated schoolmate Carleigh Bacchus (1.60m) and Memphis’ Jessie Williams (1.50m). With WITCO Sportswoman of the Year Cleopatra Borel opting out of the two-day championships, Candice Scott was an easy winner in the women’s shot put, with a best throw of 15.89m, with Annie Alexander of Burnley a distant second in 13.59m and Delois Phillips of Zenith third in 12.27m. Tobagonian Cuquie Melville was unchallenged in the women’s heptathlon. The Zenith athlete compiled 4,147 points in her seven events, with the Toco duo of Julia Miller (2,658) and Evana Douglas (2,062) trailing.


Other Results –
Men’s 5,000m: 1.Denze Ramirez (Defence Force) 16:02.76; 2.Jules La Rode (Palo Seco) 16:24.60.
Women’s 400m hurdles: 1.Desiree John (Eagles) 1:04.97; 2.Kimaada Ottley (Eagles) 1:06.79; 3.Aisha George (Zenith) 1:07.57.
Men’s 400m hurdles: 1.Nataki Dasent (Concorde) 53.85; 2.Daniel Greaves (Health Olympians) 54.12; 3.Kenneth Goodridge (QRC) 54.29.
Women’s 4x100m relay: 1.Memphis 46.71; 2.Concorde 47.33; 3.Phoenix 47.94.
Men’s 4x100m relay: 1.Concorde 41.11; 2.Phoenix 41.50; 3.Quantum 41.91.
Men’s 4x400m relay: 1.Zenith 3:11.75; 2.Simplex 3:14.03; 3.Concorde 3:15.94.
Women’s discus: 1.Loktoya McShine (Success) 40.58m; 2.Joycelyn Huggins (Police) 39.09m; 3.Akiba Robinson (TAFAC) 37.41m.
Men’s discus: 1.Hubert Maingot (Simplex) 40.35m; 2.Garth James (Tobago Falcons) 36.90m; 3.Wade Franklyn (Zenith) 36.86m.

Jadoo’s day at Santa Rosa

Ricardo  Jadoo rode Top of the Class to the top of the heap to claim the 52nd running of the Clico Midsummer Clas-sic at Santa Rosa Park, Arima on Friday.

The three-year-old chest-nut colt had an easy romp to victory and was in control from the start of the race. Victory on Friday now puts Top of the Class just one leg away from achieving the feat of Car-nival Messiah two years ago. If trainer Glenn Mendez saddles his charge to win the Blue Riband Royal Oak Derby later this year, he will become the first ever trainer to turn out two Triple Crown winners, having accomplished the feat in 2001. However, Friday’s run was memorable with Jadoo taking the Merlin Sam-lalsingh-owned Top of the Class to a five and a half lengths victory over Cele-bration Time, ridden by Haniff Emamlie. Isle be There, piloted by Wilmer Galviz was third.

Blackman heads new b-ball body

The Trinidad and Tobago Basketball Federation held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) yesterday in an effort to address several problems of the organisation’s financial standing and to elect a new board.

The meeting was initiated by the interim board under the chairmanship of Kwame Cowie and called within the June 30 deadline.The federation’s financial report revealed the need for quick, decisive action from the newly-appointed board to get them out of the red and improve the general position of basketball in the country. The minutes from the last AGM held in 2002 revealed a motion to honour Pietra Gay, the first Trinidad and Tobago national to play in the WNBA; Stephens Leonce who has served the youth of this country for 25 years; and George Phillips for long service to the basketball community. Present yesterday at St Paul’s Gymnasium in Port-of-Spain were representatives of six of the seven zones and affiliates; the Secondary Schools’ Basketball Association and the Coaches Association.

There were 22 eligible voters at the meeting and who voted by secret ballot. All six positions on the board were filled. They are: President — Clayton Blackman (unopposed) Vice-Presi-dent Organisation and Development — June Rogers (16 votes); Vice-President Finance, Communication and Marketing — Dennis Taye Allen (unopposed); Vice-President Training and Technical Support — Barry Jackson (12 votes); General Secretary — Rachel Thompson (16 votes); and Assistant Secretary — Dane Marie Marshall.

The board features a totally new slate as none of the elected members have functioned in this capacity before, which is a good thing as outlined by Blackman in his comments after the process. The federation’s new president stated it was a new day for basketball in Trinidad and Tobago and the Carib-bean in extension. He went on to say that basketball is on the way forward to being the most popular sport in this country and thanked all present for their support. The process of rehabilitation, Blackman said, required money and the participation of all concerned parties in the raising of funds. Rogers was supported in her call for unity at this time in the federation’s history and thanked the voters for the opportunity to participate in the administration of basketball. Taye Allen expressed on behalf of the newly-appointed board a willingness to do the work required to take basketball forward with a fresh ad-ministrative perspective.

Jabloteh want full points against Tobago

WITH the Trinidad and Tobago players returning from a three-week tour of southern Africa, teams will be fully strengthened in the seventh round of the TT Pro League today. And leaders CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh will be looking for full points against Tobago United at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima to solidify their position at the top of the 10-team table.

The defending league champs, with a tally of 16 points from six matches, will welcome back defender Nigel Daniel and midfielder Travis Mulraine to their starting line-up against a struggling Tobago outfit who have only collected two points from five matches. W Connection, the pace-setters for much of the season and now two points behind Jabloteh, will be able to include captain Reynold Carrington, as well as playmakers Kerwyn “Hardest” Jemmott and Silvio Spann for their match-up against the inconsistent North East Stars at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground.

South Starworld Strikers have undergone an encouraging start to the season, and they can narrow the gap between themselves and the leading two with victory over newcomers South West Institute of Football (SWIF) at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella. Two other matches are on the cards, with “the Eastern Lions” Joe Public hosting Arima Fire at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya and Defence Force meeting cellar-placed Caledonia AIA at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. All matches begin at 4 pm while the Under-20 encounters will kick off two hours earlier.






















































































































































































































































STANDINGS
Senior
P W D L F A Pts
San Juan Jabloteh 6 5 1 0 17 5 16
W Connection 6 4 2 0 14 5 14
Starworld Strikers 6 3 1 2 11 8 10
Defence Force 6 3 0 3 9 13 9
Joe Public 6 1 5 0 8 7 8
North East Stars 6 2 1 3 5 6 7
SWIF 5 1 2 2 7 9 5
Arima Fire 6 1 2 3 4 11 5
Tobago United 5 0 2 3 2 7 2
Caledonia AIA 6 0 2 4 2 8 2
Under-20
P W D L F A Pts
W Connection 6 4 1 1 19 7 13
Starworld Strikers 6 4 1 1 13 8 13
San Juan Jabloteh 6 4 1 1 12 4 13
Caledonia AIA 6 3 1 2 11 8 10
Joe Public 6 2 3 1 10 8 9
Arima Fire 6 2 1 4 10 11 7
Defence Force 6 2 0 4 11 16 6
North East Stars 6 2 0 4 6 12 6
Tobago United 6 1 1 4 5 17 4
SWIF 6 0 3 3 4 9 3

Sunday racing will fill void

Officials of the Arima Race Club are saying that a low horse population is causing a shortage of entries. Is it time for Sunday racing?

In Trinidad and Tobago, Sunday racing is again at the forefront. Let’s be honest and admit that Sunday afternoon is a desert, straddling weekend euphoria and Monday exertion; when hands are idle, hearts are vulnerable and minds play devil’s advocate.  This is when regrets come home to roost. Why then not find some means of entertainment?  Horse racing and its corollary of providing fun and entertainment for many appears the only vitamin.  But there are those “dogmatic” individuals, who fail to fully comprehend that Sunday afternoons are the dog-end of the week. Your mouth tastes of dust and your stomach is mixed with gravy and juice.

Most people just want to get out or if they stay in, just sleep. Historically, those who claim to know say Trinidad and Tobago has allowed others to be leaders, and instead acted as paperweights, but now clearly is the time to move forward. should there  at all times be racing on weekends?  We must not continue to make a nationwide mess of this. The realists among us will say that next we will hear talk of Good Friday and Christmas Day racing, with Sunday morning broadcasts of religious programmes such as Ben Hur featuring hair-raising racing round the notorious tight Roman circuit, which has proved a popular favourite with many Christian backers, but not apparently with many others.

Sunday afternoons some will say need racing because if allowed to fester on the mind are times when regrets come home to roost (repeated for the unconscious) when as Cyril Conolly said ‘Bombs are made DeQuincy turned to opium and Kafka des-paired that Monday would never come. Many of us wish that were true, or that we could meet Kim Bassinger on the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway, then and only then will racing take a “backseat,” as probably will Kim eventually. In terms of recent racing, what we are witnessing is more of the same poor rides aided by poor tactics, some of which emanated from trainers and owners looking for long odds.  It is noticeable that even during all this guessing in local racing, the number of people at races continues to increase. If Sunday Racing is allowed to manifest itself in Trinidad and Tobago it will help to fill a void in our sporting community and also to allow the public a chance to have fun somewhere other than the beach.

In Guyana, bookmakers currently accept betting on Sunday racing from the United States and Europe. Is it that we as a people are so backward in our thinking that we cannot accept the need to change and improve? We need the administrators in the sport to take the bull by the horns and get Sunday racing to become a reality. Who knows — maybe even the general reporting on racing in the media can improve away from innuendoes and lies and deal with fact. Where there is Sunday racing, there may be hope for our suffering society. At least Sunday because of novelty would have better attendance than the first Saturday after Friday Lime Day. Don’t Dance around the questions, tell the truth. Please visit ww.cornelis-associates.com http://www.cornelis-associates.com for the best website management and change management.

Wanted TRINI gives up

TRINIDADIAN Cyprian Diaz has refused to give a statement to police officers of the Philadelphia Police Department, an official source at the police department told Sunday Newsday yesterday.

Diaz, 57, had been on the run for five days after allegedly shooting to death, his 40-year-old former common-law-wife, Pramatee Celestine, and her Jamaican-born husband Eugene Celestine last Tuesday in Philadelphia. Hours after his twin brother, Felix Diaz, made a plea on Saturday through the local media to surrender to authorities, Cyprian gave himself up to officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in Philadelphia, USA. Contacted yesterday, an official of the Homicide Bureau of the Philadelphia Police Department told Sunday Newsday that Cyprian surrendered around 7.30pm Friday. The detective, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the murder suspect did not surrender with an attorney.  He said Cyprian was questioned at length, but that the Trinidadian national refused to give a statement. “That’s his right… not to talk to us.  He said nothing.  He did not confess,” the officer said via telephone.  He added that he had no idea where Cyprian had been hiding out during his time on the run.

The officer said warrants charging Cyprian with “double homicide by gun” were then executed on the murder suspect by Detective Lawrence McGuffin. The Trinidadian national was then taken to the Philadelphia County Jail, where he will be held without bail until the preliminary hearing comes up next Wednesday at the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Centre. Cyprian and Pramatee’s two children, Michael, 14, and Randy, 10, are said to be in protective custody under the care of a woman identified as Eugenia Elton. Reached yesterday, an elated Felix Diaz expressed relief that his twin brother had turned himself in.  “It’s one of the best things that could have happened,” he said. Felix, father of 11, of Carmichael Village, Coryal, Tamana, added that he had not slept since the incident.  He said he often wondered if his twin would have been shot or if he would have committed suicide. Felix, a the lead pastor at the Apostolic Christian Church, Carmichael Village, reiterated that he was not condoning what his brother had done. But he maintained his brother was triggered.  “He was pushed over the edge.  He would never have done that until normal circumstances,” he said.

Felix and another brother, Desmond, 63, have charged that Pramatee and her husband either wanted or intended to put Cyprian out of the Philadelphia home where he reportedly lived with Pramatee and her husband, or that the married couple were forcing Cyprian out the restaurant he reportedly started with his benefits derived from working over 30 years as a watchman at the Tunapuna County Council. Felix said he and Desmond are trying to leave Trinidad tomorrow in time for Wednesday’s hearing.  He said they will also try to get an attorney for him and that their prayers will always be with Cyprian. Felix also said he intends to get custody of his two nephews.  He said a custody hearing is set for next Thursday in Philadelphia.

Manning: 400 cops for gang war

Promise delivered. To thunderous applause, Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday confirmed that all NIS pensioners would be receiving $1,000 from October 1, the start of the fiscal year. Most people who have contributed to NIS collect $400 a month. It therefore means an extra $600 for them come October.

“Too many people have been disadvantaged by this difference between the two pensions — NIS pension and the old age pension — which shall now be harmonised for all time,” Manning stated. “That one is trouble! That one will kill the UNC!” said one enthusiastic  PNMite. At the launch of the PNM’s campaign, the party presented its 126 candidates and Deputy Leader Ken Valley gave highlights of the party’s local government manifesto.

Manning’s address, described by one supporter as “a winner without a penalty” alternated between ‘pelting bois’ and making government policy announcements. He announced  a “formidable action plan” for crime, which involved, among other things, the creation of a “Special Response Unit” to deal with gang-related murders. Four hundred carefully selected persons from the Police Service and Defence Force — whose “careful screening” might include regular polygraph testing, the Prime Minister said. Manning also announced that Government would inject $3 million into the crime stoppers programme to facilitate its  expansion “to every corner of the country.” The new plan also proposes the installation of  surveillance cameras at “strategic locations,” a revision of the management of security licence plates for motor vehicles and the upgrading of the existing coastal radar surveillance system. “We shall not let the criminal elements run rampant in the count and we shall not rest until every citizen enjoys the freedom and security of his life and property,” Manning declared, drawing cheers from the people. It was a good crowd — fairly large for a local government election and very diverse in terms of age and race.

His supporters however didn’t seem to pick up on the allegations of corruption which Manning made against the “dangerous Short Pants Man”, whom he did not name, but who, Manning described as “a main player in InnCogen,” who received $21 million as a finder’s fee. “This very notorious Short Pants Man, deposited very significant sums of money in United States dollars into the foreign account of a former Minister and his wife. You see where your money gone, ladies and gentlemen.  It gone Jersey. My friends, when you learn who that former minister and his wife are, you will be shocked and ashamed. But then you might not be, because I have a feeling you already know who they are,” the prime minister said. His listeners did not offer any names as to the owners of the foreign account.  But the crowd lapped up a lot of the ‘licks’ that Manning shared from the platform. He described the accommodation between the NAR and UNC as a “sunset marriage of the dead and the dying.”  And his rhetoric question — “Who will stoke whose fires in that marriage” — brought the comment “Viagra” from one bard.

I could sleep in peace now

“PRAISE GOD!”

Those were the words of Chandrawtee Rampersad, the mother of murdered Trinidadian Pramatee Celestine, 40, on hearing the news that Celestine’s alleged killer Cyprian Diaz had surrendered to Philadelphia police on Friday evening. However while Chandrawtee is thankful that the alleged killer has given himself up to investigators, she is uncertain when she will travel to the US to bury her daughter. That uncertainty stems from the fact that two of her children whom she wants to accompany her to the US do not have visas or the money to purchase tickets to travel.

Speaking to Sunday Newsday yesterday from her Lopinot home, Chandrawtee said detective Nick McGuffin called her on Friday evening informing her that Diaz had given himself up to police. “Praise God! I could sleep in peace now,” said Chandrawtee in relief. She said since her daughter’s killing she had not slept because she was fearful that the killer “would come here.” Chandrawtee described Pramatee as “very nice and good, who called me twice a week.” She denied reports that Pramatee and her husband Eugene were sharing their home with Diaz or that it was Diaz’s money which was used to start up the restaurant which Pramatee operated in Philadelphia.

Chandrawtee promised to “set the record straight” when she returns from Philadelphia. However her trip abroad has not been finalised because of the situation which her two other children face. Chandrawtee said she wanted her children to accompany her because “I feel I cannot take it on my own to see her (Pramatee) body.” Her daughter Seeta expressed the same sentiments. Seeta told Sunday Newsday she did not have a US visa or the money to buy a ticket to travel. She was pleading for a “sponsor.”