NGC to TT: Help restore Windies cricket

NGC to TT: Help restore Windies cricket
Sunday, January 31 2016

THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Cricket Board has been commended for the important role it has been playing in producing cricketers of exceptional talent who consistently shine on the local, regional and international stage.

The commendation came from Wynda Chandler, Head of Community Relations at the National Gas Company, one of the major corporate sponsors of the national cricket team.

Chandler was speaking on Thursday at a reception for the victorious Red Force squad which last weekend retained the West Indies Cricket Board Nagico Super50 regional crown by defeating the Barbados Pride in the final at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

“I commend you on behalf of the NGC for your tireless work and effort in preparing and arranging the team’s participation in the NagicoSuper50 tournament.

Trinidad and Tobago is a wellspring of talent, but it is through your targeted methods that talent is developed and actualised, when our players engage in positive competitive cricket, and moreso when they win,” said Chandler.

She said the national cricketers, ably led by captain Jason Mohammed, lost only one of their eight matches in the tournament, and by a narrow margin, but more than made up for the defeat by ramping up their performance afterwards.

“You brought to life what a cricket fans means when he says, ‘Performance beats ole talk any day.’ Without a doubt limited overs cricket is in great hands,” Chandler told the honourees and guests at the function.

But she said that as Trinis, cricket fans are not satisfied. “We want more. We want you to help restore West Indies cricket to a new glory. I refuse to say former glory, because we should chart a new course, not only in the limited overs format but in the revered Test cricket arena,” Chandler said.

Stating that no professional sportsperson accepts mediocrity, Chandler pointed to the host of stars produced in Trinidad and Tobago and suggested that the exceptional cricketers of the future may well come from the present crop of Nagico Super50 winners.

“Ask yourselves, ‘Which will be the next surname that becomes synonymous with spectacular international cricket that brings crowds to their feet and makes people say, Yes!, he epitomises the game? You are all capable and you know that.

“You also know what you have to do if you want it bad enough,” Chandler said.