THE Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board will bowl off their new season on Thursday with the first round of the Under-23 Cup featuring talented youngsters on the verge of national selection.
The tournament is an initiative of Azim Bassarath, president of the TTCB and vice-president of Cricket West Indies, aimed at enhancing this important age group towards the strengthening of the local and regional cricket structure.
Pioneered by the TTCB, the development has earned the attention of CWI and other regional territories, and is earmarked for inclusion on the regional cricket calendar.
[caption id="attachment_1052396" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Nick Ramlal, left, who was adjudged the Most Improved Allrounder in the recent TTCB/SporTT Cricket Academy, is congratulated by TTCB president Azim Bassarath. Ramlal has been picked to play for Central/South West Flamingos in the upcoming Under-23 Cup. - Photo courtesy TTCB[/caption]
Matches in the tournament will be played at two venues – the National Cricket Centre at Balmain and Inshan Ali Park in Preysal – and will be of 50 overs per team, starting at 9.30 am.
The preliminary rounds will be contested on Thursday, December 28; Saturday, December 30; Wednesday, January 3, with the two top teams meeting in the final on Saturday, January 6 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba in a day-night fixture starting at 2 pm.
Bassarath hopes the Under-23 tournament will plug the gap between the Under-19 stage of national development and the senior team.
“The Under-23s are no longer a forgotten group, grabbing the limelight when the tournament was first hosted earlier this year, when several batsmen and bowlers relished the opportunity to address the national selectors,” said Bassarath.
The TTCB boss heaped kudos on the CWI for recognising that the Under-23s can play a major part in boosting the cricket stock throughout the Caribbean, which is an important pillar of the revival of the West Indies fortunes in world cricket.
The TTCB said that the leadership potential of the captains and vice-captains named is an indication of the wealth of talent that resides in the local set-up with Rajeev Ramnath (Central/South West); Mbeki Joseph (South/South East); Chadeon Raymond (North/Tobago); and Leonardo Julien (East/North East) at the helm of the four teams.
Among those who will be looking to register impressive performances are allrounder Sion Hackett, vice-captain of East/North East; outstanding Tobagonian batsman Joshua James playing for North/ Tobago; bright Under-19 prospect Ronillister Perreira of Central/South West, a graduate of the 2024 TTCB/SporTT Academy; and Ricardo Chase (South/South East).
Under-23 Cup Fixtures
Thursday, December 28, 2023
South/South East Hummingbirds vs East/North East Scarlet Ibis, National Cricket Centre. Balmain, 9.30 am
Central/South West Flamingos vs North/Tobago Masqueraders, Inshan Ali Park, Preysal, 9.30 am
Saturday, December 30, 2023
East/North East Scarlet Ibis vs Central/South West Flamingos, NCC, 9.40 am
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