WI cricketers to feature in Inter-Zone tournament

AFTER the disappointing news earlier this year that the TT Cricket Board 50-over Club Cricket Competition was cancelled, the country’s top players will compete in the 2018 National Inter-Zone Seniors 50-over tournament which bowls off tomorrow.

The TTCB 50-over club tournament was cancelled due to the tough economic situation facing TT. In the Inter-Zone tournament, eight zones featuring Tobago, North, South East, South, South West, East, Central and North East will play in the competition which runs until May 26.

Executive member of the TTCB Patrick Rampersad is happy that TT players will be able to play 50-over cricket this season.

Yesterday, at a press conference at the National Cricket Centre, Couva Rampersad said, “The decision to remove the format of the 50 overs competition from the clubs was indeed very painful, given especially our proud record regionally in the 50-over format. The 50-over format started regionally in 1972/1973 with TT having won 12 times and runners up on four occasions.”

Rampersad said the tournament will allow 120 players to showcase their talent in their respective zones. Some of the national and West Indies players who would be playing in the tournament are Lendl Simmons, Rayad Emrit, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Jason Mohammed and Shannon Gabriel.

Rampersad said national cricket scouts David Williams, Kelvin Williams, Kumar Rampat and Roland Sampath will have their eyes on new talent.

“While these games are not trials, we have appointed four talent scouts…and they will have the authority to make recommendations to the selectors for further involvement of players.”

Rampersad said if players are not selected for their respective zones they can be considered for other zones if they are released by their zone of residence.

“Each zone was asked to nominate a squad of 16 players, and other than those 16 players, other players will be placed in a pool where they can be utilised by other zones on a release from their zone of residence.”

INTER-ZONE FIXTURES

Tomorrow

Group A

Tobago vs North, Roxborough

South East vs South, Sancho Branch Road

Group B

South West vs East, Brian Lara Cricket Academy

Central vs North East, Gilbert Park

May 12

Group A

South vs Tobago, Preysal

North vs South East, National Cricket Centre (NCC)

Group B

East vs North East, Munroe Road

Central vs South West, Brian Lara Academy (BLA)

May 13

Group A

Tobago vs South East, NCC

North vs South, BLA

Group B

North East vs South West, Preysal

East vs Central, Gilbert Park

Semi-finals

May 19

Winner Group A vs Runners up Group B, BLA

May 20

Winner Group B vs Runners up Group A, BLA

Final

May 26

Winner One vs Winner Two, NCC.