Coaches expect tough season for school cricketers

CRICKET COACHES are uncertain what the standard will be in the 2023 Secondary Schools Cricket League (SSCL). When this year’s 50-over tournament bowls off on January 17, it will be the first time schools cricket will be played in nearly three years because of the covid19 pandemic.

In March 2020, schools cricket was brought to a halt because of the pandemic just days after Shiva Boys Hindu College won the SSCL 50-over title. The exciting T20 Intercol competition, which normally attracts hundreds of supporters, was not held that year.

In 2022, the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) resumed and now the school cricketers will have their chance to compete.

Hillview College have won multiple cricket titles over the past decade and Fatima College have also won silverware.

Hillview coach Richard Kelly is predicting a challenging season for his team.

“To me it will be extremely difficult," he said. "Having not being involved in the cricket (for so long)…a lot of the players would have left school by now and the younger ones coming up they are green to that level of cricket and then the way the weather was, it has been humbugging the preparation. I know it will be a challenge.”

The long-standing Hillview coach still thinks his players can be competitive. “I feel they should be able to give a decent showing. Application is the key.”

Hillview will be a new-look outfit as there are no members from the 2020 unit.

Kelly is elated that the cricketers can return to the field of play. “I am happy with that. I am just a bit concerned with the new rise in covid cases (in China). I hope the Ministry of Sport and (the Ministry of) Education don’t decide to stop the cricket again because of that.”

In the 2022 SSFL season, Fatima won multiple titles in various age groups including the Coca Cola Intercol crown on December 7 with a 1-0 win over St Benedict’s College.

Paty is hoping the success of the football programme rubs off on his players. “We are hoping it is an incentive for the young ones to emulate what the football (programme) did,” Paty said.

Speaking about the uncertainty of the SSCL standard, Paty said, “We are looking to give a good account of ourselves, but we really in the dark as to the quality of the other teams. You really don’t know what players in what schools. It’s like you are almost going foreign to a tournament when you don’t have an idea what the quality of the other teams are.”

Paty said captain Joshua Davis and Zachary Siewah are the surviving members from the 2020 squad. Davis and Siewah are TT Under-19 players.

Paty said some of his players are lacking match experience and time will tell if they are ready. “They are untested too, so you don’t even know your own players, how they will do in a game. You are seeing boys training, but you really not sure.”

Paty is happy for the school cricketers that they can play again after a long hiatus. He said, “Definitely (happy). The kids are excited too. They haven’t lost the love for the sport, the kids are excited to play (and) the enthusiasm is there. If anything they may even have more interest because the children starved for sports so much.”

Naparima College, Carapichaima East Secondary and defending 50-over champions Shiva Boys are among those also vying for the title.