Stars in action as local cricket bowls off

The national players who recently brought glory to T&T by winning the regional T20 cricket title, will be in action today, when the domestic cricket season bowls off with the Sunday league tournament across the island. The most star-studded of all the teams will be defending champions Queen’s Park Cricket Club who would boast the likes of Keiron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Justin Guillen and Sunil Narine. QPCC will clash with an inexperienced First Citizens Clarke Road team at the Oval at 9.30am in the 50-over affair. Prior to the clash there will be an official opening ceremony at 9.10am. Queen’s Park made a sweep of local cricket last season, winning the Premiership, the Sunday League and the T20 championships. They will start as favourites to open with a win. Not only are they well stocked with the stars, there are a number of other very good players in the squad. 

 

Batsman Marlon Barclay who slammed two centuries in the national trials last week, is also a Parkite, as well as the hard hitting Daron Cruickshank. National spinner Amit Jaggernauth is also in the Queen’s Park ranks.Clarke Road on the other hand is in the re-building phase after losing a number of players in the off-season. The main loss however, was batting mainstay Gregory Mahabir, who has gone to cross town rivals PowerGen Cricket Club. PowerGen clashes with Wanderers at Syne Village in Penal and will also be the favourites to win this battle. PowerGen have been bolstered by the arrival of Mahabir and also Kenton Thompson from Ceramic Merryboys. They will however, have to do without the services of fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, who is nursing an ankle injury. The other Group A encounter will see newcomers to the Premiership Esmeralda Sports club playing SIS Central Sports.  Esmeralda is now in the top flight but played Sunday league cricket before as a Championship team.

 

They will be looking to show that they belong in the top flight and will be keen to pull an opening victory over their Central rivals. In Group B all eyes will be on the T&TEC versus Moosai Sports clash at Couva. Both teams have made big signings and this is expected to be a very exciting tussle. T&TEC boasts players of the calibre of national captain Denesh Ramdin, Rayad Emrit, Richard Kelly and Kevon Cooper. While Moosai Sports have spent a lot of money in acquiring the services of Dave Mohammed, Aneil Kanhai and Navin Stewart to name a few. Ceramic Merryboys with Guyanese Troy Cornelius on board will play hosts to Alescon Comets at Serpentine Road.  Merryboys are without Lincoln Roberts (Queen’s Park), Aneil Kanhai and Kenton Thompson. This is after losing Mario Belcon to Moosai last season.  Clico Preysal with the Ottley brothers Yannic and Kjorn in their ranks will look to blow away Seenath’s Auto Bamboo at Bamboo today. Added to the Ottleys are Steven Katwaroo and Yannick Cariah.

 

Today’s Matches

GROUP A