Chief Secretary Bago T10 bowls off 2022 season

AFTER two years without a ball bowled due to covid19, domestic club cricket will return to Tobago on April 8.

The government's approval for sporting safe zones has paved the way for action to resume. The Cyd Gray Sports Complex, in Roxborough, will feature the first taste of white-ball cricket.

The domestic season will bowl off with the popular Chief Secretary Bago T10 Blast competition, which is scheduled to run from April 8-15.

Four club franchises named after popular tourist destinations in Tobago, will vie for the $20,000 prize. The losing finalists will benefit from a $10,000 cheque.

Rain Forest Rangers will be looking to hold on to the inaugural title won in 2020. Other participants including losing finalist Buccoo Reef Divers, Fort King George Gunners and Little Tobago Islanders

The 2020 final came down to a pulsating finish with Rain Forest rangers' Jayden Kent, needing four runs off the last to win, smashing the delivery to the mid-wicket boundary.

The franchises are set to compete in two rounds of matches, before the playoffs and final.

Spectators will have to produce their vaccination cards, before entering the complex to view the night matches.

The player draft for the teams, which will comprise players from Trinidad and Tobago along with St Vincent and the Grenadines, will take place at the John Dial Community Centre on March 10.

Tobago Cricket Association PRO Marcus Daniel said, “We are thankful to the government for the return of cricket. We are looking forward to an exciting competition."

Daniel acknowledged that the vaccination requirement would affect the player pool.

“However, we are keeping our fingers crossed that the restriction for unvaccinated players will be lifted by the start of the competition, to avoid separation in the sport. Also, a number of players who played in the first tournament will not be eligible to compete.

“We are encouraging the players to get vaccinated, but it is still their choice.”

The Tobago Cricket Association said players interested in getting vaccinated to take part should explore the single-shot Johnson & Johnson option given the timeline for the start of the tournament.

Interested players are asked to contact Marcus Daniel at 774-7326 or Kerwin John at 767-5866 no later than March 4.