Namalco Under-23 Cup bowls off cricket season

OFFICIALS of the TT Cricket Board (TTCB) are predicting an exciting upcoming season of activities which bowls off on Wednesday with the Namalco Under-23 Cup.

Four teams will be involved in three rounds of matches at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) Ground in Balmain.

Inshan Ali Ground in Preysal will also host matches with the final scheduled for January 7 at the NCC.

The matches are 50 overs per side and bowl off at 9.30 am.

The teams will be captained by four cricketers identified by the TTCB selectors as having a major role to play in the future success of the national senior team.

They are Tobagonian Joshua James (Masqueraders), Cephas Cooper (Hummingbirds), Matthew Patrick (Flamingos) and Kristan Kallicharan (Scarlet Ibis).

At the recent launch of the competition, president of the TTCB Azim Bassarath stressed the importance of having the Under-23s in the national set-up.

He described the group of cricketers as immensely talented with much to offer and who were first engaged in a TTCB national competition in 2019, before covid19 prohibited the sport from being played for close to 24 months.

“It is an idea that the TTCB has been promoting for some time to tap into the latent abilities of cricketers who for one reason or the other do not get the opportunity to take centre stage. And we are pleased to see that at the Cricket West Indies level attention is also being paid in this direction following the TTCB’s initial success,” said Bassarath.

He was effusive in his praise of Namalco Construction Services Ltd for again offering to display their corporate responsibility for the national game with their $120,000 sponsorship.

Nalamco’s director Alisha Ali said at the launch she was pleased with the effort of the TTCB to provide the platform for the young cricketers to showcase their undoubted talent.

Alisha said she recognised that the Under-23s were a missing age group in the national and regional development programme and Namalco was happy to be the title sponsor for the four-team competition.

She said she looked forward to some exciting matches and brilliant individual performances which will certainly point the way towards a very successful TTCB 2023 season.

Also expressing optimism for the upcoming season was chairman of the TTCB’s marketing committee Ismahieel Ali who also thanked Namalco for joining the push to highlight the Under-23s.

“After the removal of the covid19 restrictions the TTCB did not have the space in their cricket calendar to implement all the development programmes that the marketing committee is interested in and working on,” said Ismahieel.

“We are extremely pleased to be involved in this excellent initiative to further develop the young talent that TT has in abundance. We look forward to working closely with the TTCB executive to ensure we do more for our young people,” said Ali.

FIXTURES

ROUND ONE - Wednesday

Hummingbirds vs Scarlet Ibis (National Cricket Centre)

Flamingos vs Masqueraders (Inshan Ali Ground)

ROUND TWO - Friday

Scarlet Ibis vs Flamingos (National Cricket Centre)

Hummingbirds vs Masqueraders (Inshan Ali Ground)

ROUND THREE - January 4

Scarlet Ibis vs Masqueraders (National Cricket Centre)

Flamingos vs Hummingbirds (Inshan Ali Ground)

FINAL – January 7

1st Place vs 2nd Place (National Cricket Centre)

TEAMS

MASQUERADERS: Joshua James (captain), Leon Bassano, Giovanni Letren, Nicholas Elliot, Gerald Chin (wicketkeeper), Chadeon Raymond, Mikkel Govia, Joshua Yorke, Ezekiel Joefield, Daniel Osouna, Shiva McCoon, Joshua Dookie, Eric Garcia, Jean Phillippe Barrie, Lyndon Ramanan (manager), Nisar Mohanned (coach)

HUMMINGBIRDS: Cephas Cooper (captain), Tariq Mohammed, Navin Bidaisee, Antonio Gomez (wicketkeeper), Damion Joachim, Aaron Nanan, Nicholas Ali, Kyle Roopchand, Avinash Mahabirsingh, Jevon George, Vanir Maharaj, Mbeki Joseph, Justyn Gangoo, Chris Sadanan, Stephen Ramkisson (manager), Amin Forgenie (coach)

FLAMINGOS: Matthew Patrick (captain), Denzil Antoine, Daniel Ramsawak, Isaiah Ali, Aaron Bankay, Rahul Pitiram, Shiva Sankar, Justin Manick, Sameer Ali, Ryan Bandoo, Lemuel Matthews, Amrit Dass, Crystian Thurton, Kieron John, Frank Simmons (manager), Gibran Mohammed (coach)

SCARLET IBIS: Kirstan Kallicharan (captain), Leonardo Julien, Rivaldo Ramlogan, Sachin Seecharan, Nathaniel McDavid, Sachin Soodeen, Leonardo Francis, Ronaldo Forester, Sion Hackett, Andy Mahase, Giovanni Ramdenny, Anderson Mahase, Shazad Mohammed, Amir Ali, Malcolm Ramlogan (manager), Bhoodesh Dookie (coach)