The T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) National league competition will be now known as the Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) National League.This was revealed yesterday at a press conference at the Queen's Park Oval. SCG, a Chinese construction company, has agreed to pump $400,000 TT into the league for the next year. Michael Zhang, managing director of SCG International (Caribbean) Ltd, hopes the sponsorship will help develop cricket in T&T. He said: "Our sponsorship this year is worth $400,000, which would help with prizes and awards. We hope this sponsorship will further develop the young careers and strengthen the game in Trinidad and Tobago."
T&T Cricket Board president Azim Bassarath, who was present at the conference, said it was a special time for T&T cricket. Bassarath stated: "When the history of T&T cricket is written ladies and gentleman, today will be a day that will be long remembered by us. Fifty years from now when China becomes a world power in cricket, the record will show that SCG and the TTCB started this wonderful and visionary partnership in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, on Friday April 25, 2014."Bassarath added: "In this particular sport (cricket), we are ranked higher than china, but just as we are benefiting from their construction expertise, we are now offering to return that favour in the sport of cricket."Shanghai Construction has constructed many buildings over the years in T&T, and is currently constructing the National Aquatic Centre in Couva, which is expected to be a world class facility.
This will also add to the globalization of the game, Bassarath mentioned, as over the years many cricketers from other countries have played in the national league.Huang Xingyuan, the Chinese Ambassador to T&T, is not familiar with the game of cricket, but knows how important the game of cricket is in T&T. The ambassador, with the assistance of a translator, said that China and T&T have had a strong connection over recent years and this year is significant, as it marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Xingyuan said this will lead to stronger ties between China and T&T. "I believe there will be more corporations in the future, including cricket."
Round seven of the SCG National League bowls off today at 10 am.
SCG NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS
Team Pt
Merry Boys 141
QPCC 111
Powergen 110
Clarke Road 89
Esmeralda 84
Comets 78
Moosai's 63
Munroe Road 62
Preysal 60
Caldrac 59
Tableland 58
Bamboo 43
TODAY'S FIXTURES
Seenath's Auto Bamboo vs Clico Preysal
at Bamboo
Merry Boys vs Esmeralda at Diego Martin
Queen's Park vs Jenexcon Tableland
at Queen's Park Oval
Alescon Comets vs FCB Clarke Road
at Pierre Road
Munroe Road vs Moosai's at Munroe Road
Caldrac vs Powergen at California