N Touch

North chase 2nd Courts title

NORTH ZONE, having defeated Tobago by 89 runs in their opening round, will be seeking to maintain their lead in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control Courts Senior Inter-Zone Limited-overs competition.

The powerful North team will take on North-East in a key second round fixture today at Prisons ground starting at 10.30 am. In the other second round matches, South will host South-East at the Hermitage Youth Organisation (HYO) ground while Central will do battle with the British Gas Under 17 XI at the National Cricket Centre ground, Balmain, Couva. The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control (TTCBC) decided to give the promising young players in the various zones a chance to get further exposure by competing against their senior counterparts.

Former Trinidad and Tobago Under-15 player Clifton Halls of Ceramic MerryBoys will lead the British Gas Team which is being managed by Tile It Central Sports senior coach Narsingh Ramberan. Ramberan also served as coach for the Central Zone British Gas team and is hoping that his young charges will give a good account at this level. He said: “We have some very talented young players and they are eager to do well in this competition. It’s the first time for them and they know that outstanding performances will strengthen their chances to make their respective Zonal Under 19 teams. This is really a good opportunity for them to prove themselves.”

Halls was a member of the successful 2002 TT  Under 15 team and he will have the services of his  Under 15 teammate Dilip Basdeo, Kastri Singh, Totaram Rampersad and Valmiki Deonarine (Central Zone), Shameer Mohammed and Kyron Pollard (North); Prudenco Cedeno, Allan Neptune and Ricardo Sam (North-East); Kyron Roberts and Ronnie Lochansingh (South-East) and Ravindra Rampersad (South). Former Guyanese youth player Troy Cornelius slammed the first century of this year’s series. He compiled a match-winning 118 which was studded with two sixes and seven fours and sparked North to a convincing victory over the Tobago team at the NCC ground.

Rasheed Mohammed 30 and Capildeo Singh with 26 enabled North to amass 229 for five off their allotted 40 overs. Simba Boyce took three for 37 while Kevin Roberts had two for 30. Tobago made a brave effort but were skittled out for 140 off 30 overs. Arnil Jones topscored with 34 while Boyce got 29 and Neil Skeete 23. Guyanese medium-pacer Luke Latiff was the main destroyer with four wickets for 17 runs from 7.1 overs.

South top South-East in KFC opener

DEFENDING Colonel Saunders South Zone made an impressive start in their defence of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control KFC Under-15 Inter-Zone Limited-Overs competition.

They whipped Snack Pak South-East by nine wickets in their match played at the Penal PowerGen Sports Club ground yesterday. Having won the national junior title for two consecutive years in 2000 and 2001, coach Baldath Bodoe who was instrumental in those successes, was elated and feels confident that his team is capable of registering a unique hat-trick. Allrounder Adesh Deonarine entered his name into the local record books with the first ever under-15 zonal hat-trick with his off-spinners.  Deonarine claimed the wickets of Evin Lewis, Avindra Bridgelal and Shazam Deen and finished with five wickets for three runs from 3.1 overs. With his outstanding bowling performance, South-East were routed for a meagre 89 from 24 overs.

Tabir Mohammed was the main run-getter for South-East with a hard fought 19. Skipper Kareem Jumadeen, son of former West Indies leftarmer Raphick Jumadeem, bowling offspin grabbed three wickets for 17. Jumadeen was undefeated on 13 but it was Akeem Mohammed who piloted Saunders South to the emphatic victory with a stylish unbeaten 50 which included seven fours. Marlon Briceno made 17. In the other match played at the National Cricket Centre ground, Balmain, Couva, Central Crunchers beat Finger Licking North by six wickets. Finger Licking North made 172 off 44 overs, with Kjorn Ottley scoring  62 runs while Adrian Hall got 39. Javed Ramdhanie grabbed two wickets for nine runs. Crunchers replied 173/4 off 38.2 overs with Richard Ramlal hitting a topscore 54, while skipper Adrian Bharath added 27 and Kadir Shah 22 not out.

Local coaches for ‘psycho’ lessons

NATIONAL sports coaches will benefit from two seminars in Trinidad and Tobago entitled “Strategic Resource Management for Coaches in Sport Psychology” to be hosted by West Indian Tobacco (WITCO) Sports Foundation.

Dr Margaret Ottley, lecturer at West Chester University, Philadelphia, USA, will conduct  the sessions from May 28 to June 1 at the UWI Sports and Physical Education Centre, St Augustine, and June 4-8 in sister-isle Tobago. Ottley will be familiar with a number of local coaches, having served the post as sports psychologist of the Trinidad and Tobago team for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. Provision is being made for 30 coaches, who currently manage athletes competing at regional and international level at  each of the five-day seminars.

The sessions will feature classroom and outdoor activities and will cover topics such as mastery of performance, motivation, attention, concentration and anxiety control. According to foundation chairperson Terry Young Sing, “with the Pan Am Games on the horizon (in the Dominican Republic in August), now is the time for our coaches to become equipped with the know-how for inspiring individual and team excellence.” Interested coaches can contact Alison Awai at 625-1801/3.

Seductive must be kept in mind

WITH racing enjoying a holiday tomorrow and trainers having a week to play with before resumption next Saturday, most stables seemed happy to just keep their charges ticking over with light work before deciding where to place them.

But while that was the norm at the the execises course at Santa Rosa Park, Arima,  yesterday, some were noted stepping up preparations a notch. Outrageous Victory, a lightly raced three-year-old, was among those who went at a faster than normal clip. The Stephen Jardim-trained started at a brisk tempo from the backstretch and looked better when he opening the trottle at the top of the straight. This strapping individual posted a time of 24.24 seconds over the last 400 metres of his run, and was best of the morning for the distance. Undisputed seemed to have settled down nicely to racing, and the Grant Lourenco-trained colt who tunred in his maiden certificate last raceday, looked full of life in his solo run over the last 600 metres of the main course clocked in 37.91 seconds. For the effort he attained a “good”  in the clockers rermarks column. Seductive caught the eye in his breeze over the same ground.

The Jagdis Suratsingh-trained seems to be going the right way after he stopped the clock in a comfortable looking 39.69 seconds for 600 metres. Following are yesterday’s recorded gallops:
400 METRES: Outrageous Victory – 24.24, good. You’ve Got Mail – 29.16, pacing. Glory Road and Pile of Cash – 29.98, pacing. Maximus – 26.86, handily. Kent’s Delight – 27.00, easy. Once In A Lifetime – 29.03, pacing. Yankee – 28.99, pacing. V For Victory – 29.56, pacing.
600 METRES: Undisputed – 37.91, good. Sugar Mike – 44.68, pacing. Super Gey – 42.04, pacing. Beautiful Mind – 44.92, pacing. Squeezed Moment – 44.18, pacing. Cheerleader and Lazar Wolf – 40.73, handily. Life In Russia – 44.99, pacing. Isle Be True – 44.96, pacing. Redoubled – 41.50, handily. Tactical Bid – 40.65, handily. Reign of Fire – 39.50, handily. Man of Class – 44.78, pacing. Classy Kim – 44.66, pacing. X To Board and Try Something – 40.52, handily (Boxes). Ex Narciss Toi and Upset All – 38.28, handily. Ula – 41.06, handily. Seductive – 39.69, handily.
800 METRES: Ruby Rich – 59.98, pacing Hyarima – 59.00, pacing. Restless Rnegade – 59.95, pacing. Punto A Punto – 59.90, pacing. Nando – 59.08, pacing. Panama Belle and Sensational – 54.14, handily. Poetry – 57.83, pacing. Loud Music and Bon Voyage – 52.61, handily.
1000 METRES: Gold Master – 1:08.08, handily. Sure wager – 1:05.12, handily. Silk Runner and Never Ever Worrie – 1:08.61, handily. What Left – 1:08.65, handily.
1200 METRES: Firestorm – 1:27.13, pacing.

Tennis juniors in best ITF finish

TRINIDAD and Tobago junior tennis team were edged 2-1 by hosts Guatemala in their pre-qualifying North/Centeal America and Caribbean Zone World Junior Tennis Tournament in Guatemala City.

The Trinidadians levelled the tie 1-1 when national #1 Michael Clarke defeated Guatemalan ace and favourite Christian Saravia 6-4, 7-5, after Richard Chung was beaten by Sebastian Vidal 7-6, 6-0. But in the deciding doubles, the Guatemalan pair of Savasria and Vidal whipped Clarke and Simeon Sealy 6-3, 6-2 to advance to play United States, Mexico and Canada in Miami. The the team for the April 28-May 3 tie comprised six of this country’s top junior players — Clarke, Chung, Sealy, Olivia Bennett, Yolande Leacock and Kiran Pereira. But Trinidad and Tobago girls reached an all-time high third place when they beat Dominican Republic 2-1.

Kiran Pereira gave the Trinidadians a good start, coming back from 4-1 down to defeat Carol Zapata 7-5, 6-2, but Dominican Republic #1 seed Francesca Segarelli beat Olivia Bennett 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to level the tie 1-1. But the pair of Bennett and Leacock whipped Segarelli and Zapata 6-3, 7-5 in the deciding doubles match. Eight teams including hosts Guatemala, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago contested the series. The tournament is an International Tennis Federation Under-14 boys and girls series for Central American and Caribbean countries, which has produced ATP stars as Gustavo Kuerten, Michael Chang, Goran Ivanosevic and Kim Clijsters.

Mucurapo dim Sparkles in POSNL

HAMPTON JESTERS made no fun in disposing of NFM Uppers in the Marjorie John A2 Division of the Port-of-Spain Netball League (PoSNL) when action continued at the Jean Pierre Sporting Complex, Mucurapo.

Margaret Jack scored 29 goals, Shivaughn Skeete four and Lequisha Williams two for the winners, while Candice Regis got 16 and Tanya Gomnes 15 for Uppers in Wednesday’s game. Mucurapo Ex-Pupils continued their winning ways in the same division, edging Las Lomas 39-36, with Giselle Norton scoring 29 goals, Jamie Jack six and Tyracy-Ann Douglas four.  Raquel Russell had 27, Cassian Thomas five and Laura Howe four for the losing team. And veteran ex-national goal-shoot Bridget Adams fired in 24 goals and Avion Barker 18 to lead Marvellites to a 42-22 triumph over Harlem. Mona Baptiste-Thomas scored 15 goals and Maylin Peters seven for the Harlem girls. Afeisha Noel was a one-person show on Tuesday scoring 28 goals from 33 attempts, as Mucurapo Junior Secondary crushed Sparkles 32-11 in  Phyllis Pierre Walker Intermediate Division 2 action.

Other Results: SWWTU (27)  Diana Felix 14, Margaret George 13 vs ARIMA UNITED (12) Rhea Charles 6, Alana Quow 6; UPPERS (23) Kim George 12, Ivy Davis 11 vs SPARKLES (11) Ingrid Edwards 2, Amanda Charles 1, Germaine Charles 6, Onika Felix 2; CHIPS (22) Leann O’Brien 14, Rhonique Williams 8 vs NETACES (10) Aliah Phillip 9, Afana Phillip 1.

Tobago ready for Angostura Regatta

THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Sailing Association (TTSA) is eagerly anticipating the start of the Angostura Tobago Sail Week, at Store Bay,  Tobago,  on Monday.

According to Phyllis Serrao, manager of the TTSA, “all the boats belonging to the club will be going with the (MV Beauport) as well as the staff and equipment.” Serrao added that all the boats will be on the waters at Store Bay today while the crew members will congregate at Regatta Village, Crown Point, Tobago, for the skipper’s briefing on Sunday from 6 pm. Between 75 and 100 boats are expected to participate in the week-long event with Slippery When Wet defending the Racing Class title, while Budget Nautique defend the Cruising Class crown.

CCTT provides the most horrible service

THE EDITOR: When will the relevant authorities do what is necessary to remove the burden of the Cable Company of Trinidad and Tobago from our necks. CCTT receives millions of dollars from subscribers every month and the ‘service’ they provide is horrible. They came by me and installed their decoder box and now I cannot record programmes, I cannot use the other functions on my TV, and I cannot use my other TV sets.

I had long been fed up of their ‘service’ so on April 30, the last day of the month, I went in to them with a letter requesting that they terminate my subscription immediately and asking them to come in to retrieve their box. I was told that this could not be done because a technician would be able to come to me only after thirty days, so I would have to pay for the month of May in any case. Just imagine. From Richmond Street to Diego Martin, 30 days! When I expressed my displeasure, the kindly attendant informed me that each box cost one thousand four hundred dollars so if anything should happen to it, and so on and so on.

So this is my position. I am not pleased with their service. I am not pleased with their decoder box. I am not pleased with their constant breakdowns which have become worse since the introduction of this box, so I decide to discontinue the service and I am told I cannot. I have to carry in the decoder box to them. I did not go in to them to collect a box, so I don’t see why I should have to carry it to them. Now I have no intention of paying for the month of May. I know I cannot fight CCTT in court. I cannot match the millions they receive. So I cannot compete with them in court.  All I can do is appeal to the relevant authorities. I have already written to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. I have already posted my formal letter to CCTT asking them to stop my service. I may be one voice crying in the wilderness, but I am not going to sit silently by and allow myself to be strangled.


PIERRE GRIFFITH
Diego Martin

TT has its own home-grown war

THE EDITOR: Are we indeed a bunch of mimic men? As we sit idly by in a bullet riddled society, it comes to no surprise that Trinidadians would find time to write letters in the daily newspapers and even protest in front of the American Embassy on its war against a merciless Iraqi dictator.

But what about our war! The war against the good-for-nothing thieves that viciously attack, torture, kidnap our loved ones and rob us of our belongings. The monsters that rape our women and children and slaughter our people. Where’s the protest, where is the outrage! If the people of this country refuse to take action and exorcise itself from the evil doers in society, then dying by natural causes will be a thing of the past. Is it the government’s plan to intentionally fail to eradicate violent crimes as a means to gain international recognition by making the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago the first people, in the history of the world, to be placed on the United Nations list of endangered species? My people are we cowards or are we too passive in our thinking. Do you not believe that together we can regain our freedom and live free of fear? My friends bullets see neither creed nor race, it’s time to make a stand, for the survival of once a great nation lies in the hands and actions of its people.


ANIL DHANPAUL
Port-of-Spain

Authorities must try to stop road carnage

THE EDITOR: Even while I write this my heart is heavy and my eyes filled with tears as I look at the pictures of the horrendous accident that took place at the Mausica junction on April 28, 2003. Five people senselessly lost their lives. When are we who drive on the roads going to drive with regard for other users of the nation’s roads?

I am sure the majority of road users in this country have witnessed the reckless and insensitive behaviour on the part of truck drivers. They bully other road users. They fail to realise the tremendous power of the vehicles that they operate. In particular when they are carrying a load, common sense should tell them, that the vehicle will take longer to stop but still they tail gate other vehicles and attempt to rush red lights. I am calling on whatever authority responsible to do something about this recklessness. I am asking all right thinking citizens to appeal to those in authority to do something. That accident on April 28 was not an isolated incident. Next time it could be me or you or one of your loved ones on the receiving end of such an accident.

NAUSHAD KHAN
Valsayn