The T&T Invitational Under-16 cricket team returned home on the weekend from a successful tour of Australia during which they won the prestigious Sir Don Bradman Foundation international series, and national U-15 coach Glen Dwarika was pleased by the team's performance.
In the shortened final against the Australia U-16 team, T&T, which included some players from other caribbean countries, batted first and posted a competitive 238/8 in its 38 overs.
Jordan Warner led the T&T charge with an even 100, that included 14 fours and three sixes.
Amir Jangoo, who was part of the national U-17 team that won the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional U-17 tournament earlier this year, made 64.
In reply, the home team could only muster 180 in 35 overs, handing T&T victory by 58 runs. Saiba Batoosingh, who played under Dwarika on the national U-15 team, was the pick of the bowlers with 3/35.
Dwarika, who coached some of the Invitational members on the national U-15 team, such as Keagan Simmons and Kirstan Kallicharan, knew the team had a great chance to bring home the title.
The two camps, which took place in Antigua (for Leeward Islands, Guyana and T&T players) and St Lucia (Jamaica, Barbados, Windward Islands), allowed players to share ideas while improving their knowledge of the game. 0Dwarika made reference to Guyanese Renaldo Mohammed. Mohammed, who was part of the Invitational team, would have been familiar with the T&T players after working with them at the Antigua camp.
The U-15 coach would like the youngsters exposed to longer versions of the game, which will enhance the batsmen's ability to occupy the crease.
T&T won most of the awards at the closing dinner in Australia. Jangoo was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his consistency, while Bryan Boodram picked up an award as the only bowler to grab a five-wicket haul.
Other T&T players to win prizes were Jordan Warner as the only batsman to hit a century in the competition, and coach Kenny Benjamin took home the Spirit of the Games Award.
Captain Kallicharan was named MVP in the T20 series played before.
T&T's participation in the tournament was planned and executed by All Sport Promotions through an agreement with the Bradman Foundation reached in 2009.