The T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) has done away with all their selection panels and they will soon meet to choose new ones for the next season.
This according to the president of the TTCB Azim Bassarath who spoke to Guardian Media Sports on Thursday.
The Moruga native in his fourth term as president of the board said: “We have dismantled all the selection committees and will meet soon to choose new panels.”
The national senior team panel, as well as the under-19, under-17, and under-15 panels, have been cleaned out.
“We have planned a retreat for October 17 and once we get clearance from the prime minister the Honourable Dr Keith Rowley on October 10 we will gather at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) for our retreat.
At this retreat will have several items to deal with as outlined by first vice-president Arjoon Ramlal and we will attend to them.
“One of the items I can tell you is the matter of filling our different selection panels. We have removed all selectors and will discuss and amongst the executive members who stay and who new comes in. Whether we remove all or keep some we will discuss all this. We have thanked all selectors for the contribution and have indicated that we will be choosing new panels.”
Bassarath added that in difficult financial times the board decided that it was better to dismantle the selection panel as there is not cricket carded soon.
“We pay the selectors a stipend so what we decided in these tough financial times was to disband the panels and save ourselves that expense. Times are tough and we need to look at ways to survive financially.
“We will put together new panels and then commission them before tournaments begin so they can perform their duties.” The TTCB executive met on the weekend via zoom and decided that it is better to meet face to face and hence the retreat was born out of this. They now await word from the prime minister as to whether quarantine restrictions will be lifted.