Samaroo, Ali, Bidaisee star at PowerGen SSCL Awards

SHALINI Samaroo, Nicholas Ali and Navin Bidaisee won the top awards when the PowerGen Secondary Schools Cricket League awards were held at the Point Lisas/Couva Chamber of Commerce in Couva, yesterday.

The three players all played major roles in leading their respective schools to titles during the 2018 season. Samaroo, who won the Girls Cricketer of the Year award, led Barrackpore East Secondary to the Girls Open T20 Intercol title. In the final, Samaroo helped Barrackpore East Secondary defeat St Stephen’s College by 16 runs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on May 4.

Following the Girls final, Bidaisee scored 44 not out to guide Hillview College to an easy eight-wicket win over Naparima College in the Boys Intercol T20 final. Bidaisee, who copped the Premiership Cricketer of the Year award, also helped Hillview to the Premiership 50-over crown.

Ali guided Shiva Boys Hindu College to the Championship 50-over title with a brilliant all round effort. He took the most wickets in the competition with 23 scalps and contributed 132 runs at an average of 33 and a highest score of 51. Ali took home the Championship Division’s Cricketer of the Year award.

Former West Indies manager Omar Khan told the aspiring cricketers in the feature address that success does not come easily. “There are many opportunities available for our young cricketers to be successful in the game, but success does not happen just so,” Khan said. “Success does not happen overnight, it is a process by which takes place for you to be successful.”

Khan encouraged everyone to do their part and not depend on others.

Khan said, “You need to be proactive, you need to come forward and say ‘I want help, I want to develop myself, I want to become successful.’ It is your responsibility, not only the responsibility of the Secondary Schools Cricket League, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Sport or the TT Cricket Board. You have to take it upon yourself.”

Khan encouraged the young cricketers to have a gym regime and conduct personal training. He said what made some West Indian fast bowlers great in the past was their work ethic.

The award ceremony also included speeches from president of the SSCL Surujdath Mahabir, Krishna Rampersad of PowerGen and Mignon King of the Ministry of Education.

HONOUR ROLL

Cricketers of the Year

Girls Cricketer of the Year: Shalini Samaroo

Championship Division: Nicholas Ali

Premiership Cricketer of the Year: Navin Bidaisee

SSCL Boys and Girls Cricketers of the Year

Girls Cricketers Of The Year

Holy Name Convent: Saarah Otlon

Holy Faith Convent: Gabrielle Doopan

Barrackpore East Secondary: Shalini Samaroo

North Championship Cricketers of The Year

Manzanilla Secondary: Emmanuel Garcia

St Mary’s College: Joshua Dookie

Visnhu Boys Hindu College: Leanordo Francis

South Championship Cricketers of The Year

Shiva Boys’ Hindu College: Tareeq Abdool

Shiva Boys Hindu College: Nicholas Ali

Princes Town West Secondary: Daniel Cooper

Premiership Cricketers of the Year

Hillview College: Navin Bidaisee

Naparima College: Shadell Soogrim

Naparima College: Avinash Mahabirsingh

NATIONAL WINNERS

Under-14

Runner-Up: Naparima College

Winner: Fatima College

Under-16

Runner Up: St Mary’s College

Winner: Presentation College, Chaguanas

Seniors 50-Overs

Runner Up: Penal Secondary

Winner: Tunapuna Secondary

Seniors T20

Runner Up: Penal Secondary

Winner: Tunapuna Secondary

National Champiohship

Runner Up: Vishnu Boys Hindu College

Winner: Shiva Boys Hindu College

Girls Open Intercol

Runner Up: St Stephen’s College

Winner: Barrackpore East Secondary

Intercol T20

Runner Up: Naparima College

Winner: Hillview College

Premiership 50-overs

Winner: Hillview College