Articles by Roger Seepersad

Technology

Masters T20 Festival for December

Some of Trinidad and Tobago’s best Over-40 and Over-50 cricketers will take centre stage in the first-ever Best Motors Trinidad and Tobago Masters T20 Cricket Festival, scheduled for December 18–21. The idea for the ground-breaking tournament came from Rajendra Mangalie. “The fellows know each other. They would have played alongside one another on the circuit, and the idea is to bring those players together in a competitive tournament as a way to keep the camaraderie alive and keep the players active,” explained Mangalie, current chairman of the Red Force selection panel. “It’s going to be compact and it’s going to be competitive. I’m also planning a tournament for next year featuring the best Masters teams in the region and the top teams from Trinidad.” The four-day event will feature eight top Masters teams—Real Unfit Men (RUM), Brazil Masters, Valley Boys, Lynx, Central Sports Masters, Combined Sports, Woodland Sports, and Hurricanes of Southeast—competing for cash prizes and trophies. The winners will earn $12,000, runners-up $8,000, and both third and fourth-placed teams $2,500 each. Matches will be played at the Preysal Ground and the National Cricket Centre in Couva, where fans can enjoy competitive action and hopefully reignite conversation about glory days of some of the country’s most experienced players. “In this country, there are more than 25 Over-40 teams, and the ones I have chosen are those that would have qualified for various finals on the local circuit,” Mangalie noted. “I still play cricket, but at the end of the day, I want former players to stay fit and healthy and keep playing the game they love. Masters cricket is huge around the world—players like Rayad Emrit, Imran Khan, Denesh Ramdin and others play in various tournaments.” Mangalie said his goal is simple—to give back to the game and its players. “I am about cricket and what’s best for all cricketers —upcoming players, current players, and past players —and what is good for the game.” “It’s about celebrating the passion and legacy of Trinidad and Tobago’s veteran cricketers,” Mangalie added. The tournament is being coordinated by Mangalie, along with Rajendra Poorai, Dennis Sammy, Frank Simmons, and Sharaz Mohammed.

Technology

MAJOR CONCERN FOR SUPER50

While several young players impressed during the recent Trinidad and Tobago Cricket 50-Over Cup, Red Force head coach Rayad Emrit said consistency with the bat remains a major concern heading into the regional CG United Super50 Cup next month. Consistency and form will be important factors in team selection for the regional showpiece especially with the tournament reduced to six teams. The teams will play each other once in the group stage, with the top two advancing to the final. That means there will be no room for error for any of the teams. Emrit described the standard of play as encouraging but was disappointed with the way the tournament ended, with the Cocrico Warriors bowled out for just 89 in Friday’s final against the Soca Strikers at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. “It is a bit disappointing to see how the tournament finished with one team getting bowled out for 89 on a very good batting wicket,” Emrit said. “There’s a lot of room for improvement. This was the lowest score in the tournament, and you compare that to other scores earlier on at this venue which were between 270 and 300.” Despite that, Emrit said the competition served its purpose in giving national players a platform to show form and readiness for higher honours. “The youngsters who have been doing well, we’re very impressed with them and hopefully they can continue that trend.” Among those to catch the coach’s eye were Andrew Rambaran, Abdul Raheem Toppin, Aadian Racha, and Brendan Boodoo—the latter being part of the Under-19 set-up. Emrit also praised Joshua Davis, noting that he “has a lot to offer to T&T cricket.” The coach said the selectors will have a tough task finalising the Red Force Super50 squad after three trial matches on October 22, 24, and 27, before the team is named on October 28. “It’s definitely going to be very competitive for spots,” Emrit added. “It’s a short, compact tournament, so we need to pick our most in-form and best team.” The Soca Strikers were crowned 50-Over Cup champions after bowling out the Warriors for 89, with Terrance Hinds taking four for 29. The Strikers’ campaign featured standout performances from Cephas Cooper (87, 30 not out), Andrew Rambaran (63, 65, 2/37), and Abdul Raheem Toppin (five for 34, two for 32). Toppin emerged as the tournament MVP, continuing his good form coming out of the Under-19 level. Other notable performers during the tournament included Shatrughan Rambaran (111), Crystian Thurton (81), Evin Lewis (92), Jeremy Solozano (76), Joshua Da Silva (56), and Tion Webster (73, two for 44).Emrit is hoping the batters gain some consistency in the upcoming 50-over trial matches as they continue to build towards the regional Super50 Cup. “We want the batters to be able to score runs consistently,” he added. “Hopefully, we can get it right before the tournament starts,” he concluded. T&T Red Force Super50 fixtures: Nov 19: vs Barbados Pride, UWI St Augustine – 9 a.m. Nov 21: vs Jamaica Scorpions, Tarouba – 2 p.m. Nov 23: vs Guyana Harpy Eagles, Tarouba – 2 p.m. Nov 25: vs Windward Islands Volcanoes, UWI St Augustine – 9 a.m. Nov 27: vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Queen’s Park Oval – 9 a.m. Nov 29: Final, Tarouba – 2 p.m.