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Trinidad may still host T20 matches
By STEPHON NICHOLAS Friday, December 9 2011
THERE STILL is a possibility that the Caribbean T20 Tournament could be held in Trinidad at the Queen’s Park Oval as reports emerge that a benevolent former sports administrator could come to the rescue.
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) shockingly switched the venue for hosting the tournament a few days ago from Queen’s Park to the Sir Vivian Richards Ground in Antigua leaving many local cricket enthusiasts disappointed for the second year in a row.
The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) bid to host the tournament last year, but lost out to Antigua and Barbados. The WICB cited the high cost of renting the Queen’s Park Oval for the competition as a factor that dissuaded them from choosing Trinidad.
And just a month before the 2012 edition of the exciting tournament starts, the WICB again bowled out Trinidad as hosts due to the cost of utilising Queen’s Park.
Finance could no longer be a problem, however, as an individual, known more for his involvement in football, has come forward and expressed willingness to pay the rental sum in the interest of sport in Trinidad and appeasing the public who have been eagerly awaiting this exciting tournament.
In a media release earlier this week, Queen’s Park revealed they were willing to accept the US$60,000 negotiated with the TTCB for the rental of the venue.
The WICB initially countered with a fee of US$40,000 and negotiations and communication apparently broke down resulting in TT being stripped of hosting rights.
The benefactor, however, is willing to play the US$60,000 to Queen’s Park leaving all parties satisfied financially according to a TTCB source. This information has been passed on to the WICB but up to yesterday no response was forthcoming from cricket’s regional governing body.
Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Bruce Aanansen, president of Queen’s Park, dismissed the notion that the competition could still find its way to St Clair.
“It’s gone. I wrote to (WICB CEO Ernest Hilaire) to give him the sequence of events (which took place) which he seemed to be unaware of. We sent the letter a couple days ago and we have had no response so far. He made it clear, however, that there is no opportunity to bring the games back to Trinidad,” Aanansen declared.
By STEPHON NICHOLAS Friday, December 9 2011
THERE STILL is a possibility that the Caribbean T20 Tournament could be held in Trinidad at the Queen’s Park Oval as reports emerge that a benevolent former sports administrator could come to the rescue.
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) shockingly switched the venue for hosting the tournament a few days ago from Queen’s Park to the Sir Vivian Richards Ground in Antigua leaving many local cricket enthusiasts disappointed for the second year in a row.
The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) bid to host the tournament last year, but lost out to Antigua and Barbados. The WICB cited the high cost of renting the Queen’s Park Oval for the competition as a factor that dissuaded them from choosing Trinidad.
And just a month before the 2012 edition of the exciting tournament starts, the WICB again bowled out Trinidad as hosts due to the cost of utilising Queen’s Park.
Finance could no longer be a problem, however, as an individual, known more for his involvement in football, has come forward and expressed willingness to pay the rental sum in the interest of sport in Trinidad and appeasing the public who have been eagerly awaiting this exciting tournament.
In a media release earlier this week, Queen’s Park revealed they were willing to accept the US$60,000 negotiated with the TTCB for the rental of the venue.
The WICB initially countered with a fee of US$40,000 and negotiations and communication apparently broke down resulting in TT being stripped of hosting rights.
The benefactor, however, is willing to play the US$60,000 to Queen’s Park leaving all parties satisfied financially according to a TTCB source. This information has been passed on to the WICB but up to yesterday no response was forthcoming from cricket’s regional governing body.
Speaking to Newsday yesterday, Bruce Aanansen, president of Queen’s Park, dismissed the notion that the competition could still find its way to St Clair.
“It’s gone. I wrote to (WICB CEO Ernest Hilaire) to give him the sequence of events (which took place) which he seemed to be unaware of. We sent the letter a couple days ago and we have had no response so far. He made it clear, however, that there is no opportunity to bring the games back to Trinidad,” Aanansen declared.