Central Zone, South Zone and North all picked up opening day victories in the Secondary Schools Cricket League (SSCL) Flow Girls’ Hardball Competition on Thursday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando.
It was a runs-filled start to the competition as Central Zone amassed 198 for two against South West. Shunelle Sawh led the way with an unbeaten 52 while April Ramoutar chipped in with 35 not out.
In response, South West was blown away by Kiara Ruben, who took three wickets for 11 runs, to help bowl out her team's opponent for just 75 runs in 19.2 overs. Central Zone won by 123 runs.
South Zone also enjoyed an emphatic victory over South, winning by 92 runs. South Zone posted a score of 156 for six from its 20 overs and then proceeded to bowl out its opposition for a meagre 64 runs in 16.4 overs.
The lone low-scoring affair of the day was between North East and North. Jesse Ferdinand and Gabrielle Doopan both took two wickets each to limit North to just 104 for four in 15 overs. Shania Kistow top-scored for her team with 23 runs. North went on to win the match by eight wickets, scoring 107 for two in 10 overs. Ferdinand finished unbeaten on 26.
The tournament, now in its fifth year, has proven to be an important one in the development of women’s cricket in the country. Eight zonal teams have been divided equally into two groups. SSCL first vice president Sharaz Mohammed told Guardian Media Sports, it is now being used as a building block in the women’s game.
"It’s very important because many of our girls over the last three years have been able to move on to play for T&T at the youth level, which our country has won twice. They came second one year and also some of them have moved on to play for West Indies senior team," he said.
This is the third year that Flow has come on board as the sponsor of the competition.
In her opening remarks, Cindy Ann Gatt, Flow’s Director of Marketing, said, "Our interest in secondary schools’ cricket also has to do with youth development. Like any sport, cricket carries responsibility, discipline and endurance. These are also the guidelines for a young person to succeed in life.
"It’s about understanding your opponent and how to keep up with them, how to strategise, how to keep focus even when the odds are not in your favour."