CWI Rising Stars U19 Championships put ‘on hold’

HURRICANE Beryl has been wreaking havoc across the eastern Caribbean, with the storm hitting Tobago, Carriacou and St Vincent and the Grenadines early on July 1.

Trinidad also felt the adverse effects of the category four storm.

Both St Vincent and the Grenadines and TT are hosts of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Rising Stars Men and Women’s Under-19 Championships carded to begin on July 2.

Newsday contacted CWI vice president Azim Bassarath for an update on the start of the tournament.

He said, “Nothing as yet. We don’t know what is the situation with flights coming out of the different islands after Beryl.”

Bassarath sent two pictures and four videos of the destruction caused by Beryl in neighbouring Caribbean islands.

The tournament he said has been virtually “put on hold."

“It is on hold until everything returns to normalcy.”

The TT under-19 men’s team was set to leave Trinidad for St Vincent on Sunday, however, flights were cancelled throughout the Caribbean.

In a release on June 30, Caribbean Airlines (CAL) said they will not operate any scheduled international flights in and out of TT and its regional network before 1pm on Monday.

The flights were suspended from 6pm on June 30.

CAL said all affected passengers booked on CAL services are being contacted and will be re-accommodated on re-timed and recovery flights.

On July 1, manager of the TT under-19 men’s cricket team Kerwin John said they did not get any word from the CWI on the tournament’s status.

“We are still at home.

“We have not travelled to St Vincent as yet, as the flight yesterday was cancelled from TT to Barbados and Barbados to St Vincent.

“We are waiting on the cricket board to say when is that rescheduled flight.”

On July 1, St Vincent and the Grenadines’ National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) said 50 homes reportedly lost roofs.

Twelve other private and public structures also lost roofs. Another five structures faced different forms of damage and one house was flattened.

Four blocked roads were also reported.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves in a Facebook post on Monday afternoon said the islands are still under a tropical storm warning.

“We have begun to receive heartbreaking reports out of the Union Island and the southern Grenadines, even as our agencies desperately attempt to re-establish communications with certain sections and ascertain the extent of the damage to the mainland.”

He urged his citizens to stay indoors and was due to give an update to the nation at 7pm.

Newsday also spoke with the manager of the TT under-19 women’s team Nadra Dwarika-Baptiste.

“We have not gotten anything yet, but we do expect some meetings by this afternoon.”

The TT women’s under-19 team competed against Barbados and the Windward Islands in a tri-series at the National Cricket Centre, Couva from June 24-June 29 in preparation for the championships beginning on Tuesday.

TT under-19 women’s team won three games against the Barbados under-19 women’s team.

The June 28 contest between TT and Windward Islands was cancelled because of rain.

Both Barbados and Windward Island women’s teams are in TT.

Dwarika-Baptiste said she has seen members from various teams in TT but is unsure if all the teams made it to the country.

“I know the teams are represented but I can’t say if everyone is here.

“We haven’t been in a setting to see if everyone is present.”

TT U-19 WOMEN LOOK TO DEFEND TITLE

The CWI Rising Stars Under-19 Championship women’s competition was carded to run from July 2-July 13, across TT.

The participating teams are TT, Barbados, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands and Guyana.

TT under-19 women won the competition last year – their first title – and are hoping for a repeat this year.

Dwarika-Baptiste said, “We have a mix of new players and a lot of talent.

“Our goal is to defend our title.”

Before Beryl passed through the Caribbean, TT under-19 women’s team were scheduled to play the Jamaican under-19 women’s team at the Sir Frank Worrell Ground, St Augustine on Tuesday.

The men’s competition was carded to run from Tuesday to July 30 with the same six teams participating.

The men were expected to play a three-day format and a 50-over format.

John said, “The six teams were split up into two groups, you play three three-day games – two from the group and one team from outside the group.

“After completion, both first place teams from each group would compete in a final, second place would compete for third and fourth while the two third-place teams would play for fifth and sixth.”

Jamaica’s men’s under-19 team won both titles last year.

TT have not won the title since 2018 according to John and will hope to change their fortunes when the tournament gets a new start date.

Trinidad and Tobago’s men's under-19 squad:

Orlando James (captain), Andrew Rambaran (vice-captain), Jacen Agard, Fareez Ali, Luke Ali, Verran Batchu, Kavir Boodoosingh, Joshua Davis, Justin Jagessar, Kevin Kanhai, Aidan Racha, Kyle Ramdoo, Aneal Rooplal, Abdul Toppin.

Trinidad and Tobago’s women's under-19 squad:

Samara Ramnath (captain), Kdjazz Mitchell (vice-captain), Kenika Cassar, Deliannys Espinoza, Brianna Harricharan, Zakiyah Harrilal, Kirah Manpaul, Zaheera Mohit, Sumeera Naidoo, Kristina Naipaul, Jessica O'Rosco, Tumika Phagoo, Amrita Ramtahal, Katrina Ruben.