Tobago U-15s look to rebound in Scotiabank NextGen cricket

Tobago under-15 cricketers are aiming for a better performance in round two of the Scotiabank NextGen 50-overs development programme on Wednesday. Tobago face East at the Aranguez Recreation Ground at 9.30am.

The East players will be brimming with confidence after they defeated North zone by seven wickets in their opening match.

Tobago, fielding Trini players to ensure a full complement, lost their opening fixture in the tournament against North East, by five wickets, on Friday.

Tobago won the toss and elected to bat first at the Knowles Street Recreation Ground in Curepe.

Alex Ramdeen and Sameer Khan began the quest for a competitive total, but both players were back in the pavilion very early, with the score on 12 after 11 balls.

Jedidiah Mohammed, batting at number seven, provided the best resistance for the visitors, with a top score of 35 runs.

Bowling for the home team, Zakilon Beckles kept the Tobago boys in check, with a spell of five wickets for 22 runs in 7.1 overs. Joshua Alfred chipped in with two scalps, as the visitors were bowled out for 132 in 22.1 overs.

North East got their innings off to a positive start with Israel Gonzales and Amir Singh posting 50 runs for the first wicket. They eventually overhaul the visitors total in the 32nd over, losing five wickets for 133 runs.

Sameer Khan was the pick of the Tobago bowlers, claiming three wickets for 34 runs in nine overs, which included one maiden.

Tobago coach Brian Browne said the players put up a good fight, given their challenges.

“Our preparation was not the best," he lamented. "We were actually working with a depleted squad of six guys in Tobago who are inexperienced at that level, and we had no training sessions with the Trinidad players, who are reserves in their zone, before the game.”

Browne added, “We have lost two years of development through the covid19 pandemic, which will hurt a small zone like Tobago. So, we are virtually starting from scratch. But nevertheless, taking all those factors into consideration, I thought we put up a good fight.”

The Tobago team, which features nine players from Trinidad, is managed by Tracey Coldeira.