KINGSTOWN: The West Indies gained a consolation victory over Sri Lanka as persistent showers stalled the third and final one day cricket international yesterday.

The home team won comfortably by six wickets on the Duckworth/Lewis system after reaching 160 for four off 36.5 overs after the second of two rain interruptions. Sri Lanka still secured the Cable and Wireless series 2-1, following victories in the first two matches in Barbados last weekend. Yesterday, Marlon Samuels smashed three sixes and one four in an unbeaten 45 off 38 balls to power the home team’s victory charge after it slipped to 81 for three before the rains came. Sri Lanka were bowled out for a modest 191 off 50 overs after being sent in to bat when West Indies captain Brian Lara won the toss for the third straight match. Mahela Jayawardene topscored with 51, breaking a drought which saw him go without a half century in his previous 17 matches.

Fast bowler Corey Collymore led the way for the West Indies with three for 28 off 10 overs. Rookie pacer Jerome Taylor chipped in with two for 39 off 10 overs on debut. Samuels enjoyed an outstanding session in the field, notching two run outs with direct hits and one brilliant catch. He also claimed one for 29 off five overs with his off-spin and earned the “Man of the Match” honours. Sri Lanka lost danger-man Sanath Jayasuriya (8) in the third over as Samuels made his presence felt for the first time in the day with a pinpoint throw from midwicket. Fellow opener Romesh Kaluwitharana also fell cheaply as he miscued a catch to Lara off Collymore’s bouncer at 28 for two.

The West Indies kept a grip for the remainder of the innings as the visitors hit just five fours and two sixes off 50 overs. Gayle (21) and Wavell Hinds (19) gave the West Indies a steady start with a stand of 36 for the first wicket. But when Hinds, Lara and Gayle fell in the middle overs, Sri Lanka sensed an opening at 81 for three in the 23rd over. Hinds lofted a catch to mid-on off Vaas before Lara fell cheaply for the first time of the series. The champion left-hander smashed Dharmasena’s first ball for six, but the off-spinner gained revenge next delivery as Lara (14) miscued a catch to mid-off. Gayle was bowled behind his back by leg-spinner Chandana. But Samuels arrived in aggressive mood and quickly restored the West Indies’ advantage. Chandana again suffered off Samuels’ bat, as he was smote for two sixes in an over that cost 16. Ace off-spinner Muralitharan could not halt the assault and by the time he dismissed Sarwan for 25 off 51 balls after the first rain break, the contest was virtually over.

TRINIDAD and Tobago and Caribbean heavyweight boxing champion seems set to win the gold medal at an international tournament currently underway in Puerto Rico.

Manswell, on Tuesday night, beat his Puerto Rican opponent and will clash with a top-ranked Brazilian in the championship bout tomorrow. News of the Tobagonian’s success was relayed by Tansley Thompson, well-known Trinidad and Tobago sports personality who is assisting Manswell. Thompson, who is in Virginia, USA is in contact with Manswell as he prepares for the upcoming Pan American Games to be staged in the Dominican Republic in August. He said Manswell needs all the support he can get in this crucial stage of his preparation and expressed his appreciation in this respect to Miami-based International Freight Services Trinidad Limited headed by Trinidadian Graham Rodriguez.

Rodriguez is the son of former West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago cricketer Willie Rodriguez, the present president of the Queen’s Park Cricket Club in Port-of-Spain. Manswell was a silver medallist at both the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England and the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador last December. He left last week for Puerto Rico to participate in the international tournament and will be based in Cuba before leaving for the Pan Am Games.

DEFENCE FORCE and Caledonia AIA booked their places in the First Citizens Bank (FCB) Cup, which will kick off on June 18 in playoff action yesterday.

The lads from Teteron, Chaguaramas, who won the inaugural contest last year, hammered Tobago United 4-0 at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet while “the Stallions” AIA eliminated Arima Fire 3-1 at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya. Striker Nigel Hart gave the Stallions the lead four minutes into the second half but ex-national midfielder Uz Taylor equalised for the firemen in the 58th. Abdullah Phillip restored the lead for Caledonia in the 63rd while Ronald St Louis put the match  beyond Fire’s reach, converting a penalty in the 74th.

CARNIVAL MESSIAH overcame the slushy conditions at the Santa Rosa Race Track, Arima to clock 43.6 seconds over 600 metres on the gallops yesterday.

The Glenn Mendez-trained inmate was among the many who found the going at Arima tough due to the persistent rainfall. Golden Shufleur had the fastest sprint over the 600m distance, clocking 42.6 seconds while Super Grey was timed in 44.2 seconds. Smooth Operator cruised to a time of 27.2 seconds over 400 metres, Travel Agent and Van Nistelrooy each clocked 50 seconds flat over 800 metres; Twist ‘N’ Turn 1:10.1 over 1000 metres and Panama Canal 1:19.1 over 1200 metres. The horses will be keeping themselves fit and ready for the June 20 Labour Day 10-race card, which includes the second “triple-crown” race the CLICO MidSummer Classic for three-year-olds over 1900 metres and a jackpot of $125,000.

Following are yesterday’s recorded gallops –
400 METRES: Bite De Bullet – 29.9; Hot Way – 28.0; Isle Be True – 29.9; Loud Music – 28.4; Miss Beautiful – 29.2; Seductive – 29.5; Shezabute – 28.2; Smooth Operator – 27.2; Sugar Mike – 29.9.
600 METRES: Carnival Messiah – 43.6; Golden Shufleur – 42.6; Green Light – 44.9; Super Grey – 44.2; The Chairman – 44.9; Ula – 44.7.
800 METRES: A Firm Relief – 53.8; Alex – 59; Fantastic Lad – 59.9; Gold Conveyor – 56.4; Lovely Pearl – 59.6; Travel Agent – 50.0; Van Nistelrooy – 50.0.
1000 METRES: Fortunate Flag – 1:13.9; Golden Boy – 1:11.5; Hyarima – 1:14.9; Twist ‘N’ Turn – 1:10.1.
1200 METRES: Dottie’s Way – 1:29.5; Panama Canal – 1:19.1.

THE UPCOMING Corporate Tennis competition exclusively for company executives and employees is a major step in achieving the Tennis Association’s motto of “Tennis for All.”

So said president of the Tennis Association, Dave James yesterday at the launch of the tournament at the Hilton Trinidad in Port-of-Spain. James said all the other areas of the public were suitably addressed by the myriad competitions and it was time that the people whom the appeal for funds go out every year should now become physically involved in the game. “We have been addressing all other areas of the community from the PSPI programme for school children to the veterans. We now focus on corporate Trinidad and Tobago,” said James.

In attendance at yesterday’s function were Suzanne Gryspeerdt, Hilton Trinidad’s Director of Operation; Valerie Pedro-Harris, chairperson of the Corporate Tennis Committee; Mike Valdez, the legendary former national and regional champion, now resident coach at the Hilton Trinidad; Franklyn Balgobin, vice-president of the South Zone; Melvin Black, Tournament Director and Christine Alexis, secretary of the Tennis Association. Pedro-Harris, a former top national player just back from winning a mixed doubles tournament in Brooklyn, New York, USA with her son said the objective was to build a greater awareness and promote a healthier lifestyle among coporate employees. She also welcomed the opportunity to solicit much-needed funds for the ongoing tennis programme. It was a point elaborated on by Valdez who said money was the bedrock of any successful tennis programme as he envisions a brighter future for Trinidad and Tobago players on the international crcuit. Valdez also observed that in his 30-year attachment to the Hilton Trinidad, it is the first occasion the top hotel will be loaning its court for a national tournament, an initiative of its general manager Ali Khan. “Mr Khan wants to leave a legacy of some major contribution to the young people of Trinidad and Tobago and he is wholeheartedly behind the tournament,” said Valdez.

North and East Zones will compete at the Hilton Trinidad Courts from June 23 to July 4 between 7 pm and 9 pm with matches on a round-robin basis going into a knock-out format into the semi-finals and finals. The South Zone will be contested at the Petrotrin Sports Club, Pointe-a-Pierre on the weekend of Friday, June 27 to Sunday, June 29. The final between the winners of the two zones will be staged the following weekend. Black said because the participants will be of varying competence and ability, a handicapping system will be applied to level the playing field. Among the prizes at stake are valuable hampers, airline tickets, tennis gear, and dinners at top hotels said Pedro-Harris. Defending men and women’s champions are St Augustine Tennis Club, winners in 2001 when the tournament was last held. Entry fee for each team is $1,000 with each additional team costing $500.

ORGANISER of the first Fun Surf Fishing Tournament, Latif Hosein, has promised to make it an annual event.

He gave this asurance after the competition attracted a record entry and was declared a resounding success at Manzanilla on Sunday. despite the inclement weather, Hosein, owner of LS Hosein Supermarket of Montrose, Chaguanas, said the event had achieved its main objective of bringing families together. Hosein said there was 100 percent turnout of competitors — 225 adults and 100 children — who responded enthusiastically to a novel attempt to spend time together in a purposeful endeavour. “A lot of children need guidance. Parents need to spend more time with their kids, else they would be lost. We wish that the Fun Surf tournament would have done something to help this process along,” said Hosein.

The overall winner was Sangre Grande angler Vishram Geelasingh who nipped Kim Tokhai of Freeport near the end of the day. In third position was Clyde Williams. Ashton Ramsingh of Freeport copped the prize for the biggest fish in the Under-15 category. He was also third returning the biggest tawat. Winners were judged on the length of the catch, not weight. Hosein said the successful tournament was a credit to a hardworking committee which comprised himself as chairman, and included Darrel Seecharan, Sean Kendall, Frankie Khan, Randy Siewdass and Akeel Mohammed. He was also appreciative of the sponsors, among them Newsday, Toyota, Dairy Dairy, Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Hosein said Gupte Lutchmedial of the Manatee Conservation Trust also played a major part allowing the competition to be staged on the part of the beach that is under his organisation’s responsibility.

NEW CHAIRMAN of the Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board of Control, Melchoir Taylor has assured promoters that he will move quickly to alleviate their major concerns.

Taylor met with the leading promoters on Tuesday at the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, Duke Street, Port-of-Spain. Among those in attendance were international matchmaker Buxo Potts, Cecil Forde of South Trinidad-based Richford Promotions and young enterprising promoter Randy Glasgow. Taylor said after listening to the contributions of the promoters and their associates he promised to write Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Roger Boynes to have several matters addressed. Yesterday Taylor, a former referee who has officiated in world title fights, said top of the agenda is a recommendation to have several fees waived for the promoters. Among them is a $500 deposit when promoters submit cards for the Boxing Board’s approval. Moves are also afoot, Taylor said, to eliminate costs associated with the hiring of a bellman and weighmaster. “I have suggested that most of these tasks can be undertaken by members of the Boxing Board thereby relieving some of the costs associated with staging a professional card,” said Taylor yesterday. He said promoters also complained about the high cost of rental of venues to stage their cards including the Jean Pierre Complex at Mucurapo and the nearby Woodbrook Youth Facility.

“It was explained to the interest group that the matter of rental was way out of our responsibility but we will raise the issue with the Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs and hopefully something can be done to lessen the impact,” said Taylor. He said he will also press for an increase in the $10,000 yearly allocation by Government for the Boxing Board which he deemed inadequate to fulfil their mandate to oversee the development of the sport. “It is not near enough to accomplish what we want. We have to go to the clubs, provide equipment in some cases, devise and execute programmes, attend overseas seminars so the burden is on us to work with scarce resources to achieve maximum good,” said Taylor. The Boxing Board chairman also promised the promoters to expedite the granting of licences of professional boxers, including females, to practise their trade as long as they fulfil the age requirement which now stands at 17. He also refuted a report carried in another newspaper that he had muzzled fellow board members from speaking with the media. “That is not true. Every member has the right to answer questions from the media but you must understand that the chairman is in a unique position to address some matters better than his colleagues,” said Taylor.

The Trinidad and Tobago Chess Foundation will host a junior chess tournament at the International School of Port-of-Spain, Westmoorings on Saturday from 9.30am

Played in a five round Swiss style format, the tournament is open to all young players under the age of 20 and will be run in six categories: Novice, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-20. There is a one hour time control on all matches. Space is limited and the entry fee is $25 per person. For advance registration, please call 628-8130 or 628-5158.