The inaugural regional Under-17 cricket series was launched yesterday at the Tobago House of Assembly in Scarborough.
The tournament which will involve Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana, the Windwards and Leeward Islands will bowl off on Sunday at venues across the Sister Isle. The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) tournament is being sponsored by the THA (which has invested US$100,000) as well as Digicel and will played as 50-over matches.
The winners of the tournament will be the team which garners the most points after the round robin phase. The WICB has an Under-15 regional championships, as well as an under-19 regional championships.
The tournament is being managed by local company All Sports Promotions. Speaking at the launch CEO of All Sports Promotions, Anthony Harford said: “There is a fall out of players from the system after the Under-15 level and this critical gap between the Under-15 level and the Under-19 level is now being plugged. Studies have revealed that we lose round 40 percent of our players after the Under-15 stage.”
Harford added that Tobago stands to gain a lot from their participation as hosts:“There is now a chance for Tobago to be showcased to the region as a sport tourism destination. Also the legacy of this tournament will be better cricketing infrastructure, as well as better trained cricket officials, to take the game forward here.”
Also on hand to deliver an address was Huey Cadette who is the assistant Secretary of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport at the THA. He said : “We would like to thank the WICB and All Sport for giving us this opportunity to partner with them for this regional tournament. Our investment in this project shows our continued signal that we want to develop sport in this country and by extension the youths here in Tobago. There will be other projects like these that the THA will be entering into, in order to obtain our objective.”
First vice-president of the Tobago Cricket Association (TCA) Marcus Daniel said that the four facilities where matches will be played are on the improve and will be in top condition come Sunday for the start of the tournament. He added that the TCA is very happy with the fact that cricket is coming to Tobago and this will augur well for those interested in the sport in the Island.
Meanwhile, hosts T&T will open their campaign against the Leewards at Shaw Park on Sunday.
REGIONAL UNDER-17 FIXTURES
ROUND ONE (July 1)
T&T vs Leewards at Shaw Park
Guyana vs Windwards at Louis D’or
Barbados vs Jamaica at Bon Accord
ROUND TWO (July 3)
Windwards vs T&T at Shaw Park
Jamaica vs Leewards at Bon Accord
Barbados vs Guyana at Louis D’or
ROUND THREE (July 4)
T&T vs Jamaica at Shaw Park
Barbados vs Windwards at Plymouth
Leewards vs Guyana at Bon Accord
ROUND FOUR (July 6)
T&T vs Barbados at Bon Accord
Guyana vs Jamaica at Shaw Park
Leewards vs Windwards at Plymouth
ROUND FIVE (July 7)
T&T vs Guyana at Shaw Park
Barbados vs Leewards at Plymouth
Jamaica vs Windwards at Bon Accord.
