Academy plans for Brian Lara venue music to TTCB's ears

PRESIDENT of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) Azim Bassarath, said he will welcome discussions with the Prime Minister and Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe about turning the Brian Lara Cricket Academy into what it was primarily intended for – a facility to develop the next crop of TT and West Indies cricketers.

The Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba was opened in 2017. It has hosted international cricket matches and matches in the popular Caribbean Premier League. Young cricketers have had access to the facility for matches and training, but not for lengthy training camps.

Many academies in the world have accommodations for athletes where they learn in a classroom setting and on the field.

In a post-Cabinet briefing on September 14, Dr Rowley, speaking about Brian Lara Cricket Academy, said, "It has been used as a cricket ground, hosting matches, which have been successful, but the concept as an academy has never been operationalised, and that is one of the discussions that we will look at going forward. Both for our people at home and for the regional development of the game as well, and there are other interests along those lines. Our future is full of interesting possibilities."

Speaking more about the original goal of the facility, Rowley said, "It was supposed to be a place where you nurture the talent in cricket and they get their education at cricket and cricket (would) be a major part of the curriculum at that academy. That was the vision."

Bassarath told Newsday he was elated that the academy aspect of the facility will be developed. "It is music to our ears and the cricketing fraternity of TT that this is being given serious consideration and something that the TT Cricket Board fully endorses," Bassarath said. "We are willing to work with the Government on this initiative and I am quite sure that when it is completed that it will bring rich rewards to cricket development, not only in TT, but I am quite sure across the Caribbean."

Cudjoe has been speaking about more emphasis being placed on students playing sport by renovating community pools, encouraging more sports in schools and improved venues.

On Tuesday, speaking at a celebratory function for athletes at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain, which included juniors, Cudjoe said, "I am happy to say this year we are doing more refurbishment with the Brian Lara Cricket Academy towards hosting more CPL and more international cricket, but not just that, towards developing the sporting academy to train youngsters for high-performance sport. The Prime Minister over our last retreat had reached out and charged me with that responsibility and we are going to continue our discussions and work in that regard."