Cricketers Can Cook to raise funds

The cooking skills of the Past Cricketers Society of Trinidad and Tobago will be on display on November 11 when they host their 2nd annual Cricketers Can Cook all-inclusive fund-raiser at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair. Tickets are priced at $300 and available from committee members.

At a press conference yesterday to discuss the philanthropic initiative, Chairman of the Society and former national cricketer, Justice Prakash Moosai, said after five years of hosting fun events for its members to reminisce about their glory days, it became painfully obvious to them that their annual get-together needed to evolve.

“We recognised that there needed to be something more, because it really wasn’t just about laughing and drinking; and so we felt that there were cricketers in the fraternity that were facing challenges in their lives. It was time to evolve from just a lime,” Moosai said.

The former left-handed batsman said the group has already sprung into action in identifying the resources within their community– doctors, contractors etc – to see what they could tap into to help past colleagues who are in need of aid. Some of the ex-players who have benefited already include ex-West Indies batsman Charlie Davis, and the late duo Lawrence Wood and Prince Bartholomew.

The Society has also assisted the national Under-15 cricket team on a tour to England recently and made a significant donation to the One Island concert held recently to help the Caribbean countries affected by hurricanes.

Also present at the launch was former national cricketer and footballer, Alvin Corneal, who hailed the humanitarian aspect of the Society, saying: “Sport is not that bad after all. When you look at the camaraderie, I feel proud to be part of this.”

He said when he looks at some of his past teammates who’ve made a positive contribution to society in their respective field, he feels heartened. Corneal, though, lamented the under-utilisation of past players whom he feels have a vast amount of knowledge that remains untapped.

Giving his blessing but unable to attend was Baldath Mahabir, Executive Member of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB), who described the event as “another day of victory for the people of Trinidad and Tobago”.

Mahabir, in a stetement read by Colin Murray, said: “The TTCB has always been an avid supporter of this event, both by assisting materially and also giving our full endorsement. In this activity, we see a multiplicity of positives. We are keeping our past cricketers involved and also creating opportunities to tap into their vast reservoir of cricketing and professional knowledge,. We concur with their noble ideal of assisting past cricketers and other deserving charities and their humane approach is one which all can emulate.”

For more information on Cricketers Can Cook, email pastcricketerssociety@gmail.com.