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• CWI CEO Grave outlines next steps after host countries announced for next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

  In June next year, the West Indies, along with the USA, will host their third senior men’s ICC tournament when the cricket world descends upon our region for the ninth edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

  The West Indies previously hosted the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2007 as well as the second edition of the T20 World Cup two years later.

  Last week, Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago were announced as the seven Caribbean countries that will host matches along with New York, Texas and Florida in the USA.

  CEO of Cricket West Indies, Johnny Grave, described the confirmation of the region as hosts as a “big landmark” in a CWI interview last week and is looking forward to inviting the rest of the world to the Caribbean.

  “It’s a big landmark for us at Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the ICC because, having this confirmation now that seven of our host countries have made successful bids to host matches means that a lot of the work and detailed planning that we need to do in order to make the most of this huge opportunity to host out third men’s ICC tournament in the West Indies, and this time in partnership with our friends at USA cricket, can start,” he said.

  He also went into what are the next steps in preparing for next year’s festivities.

  “The next big step is to get the match schedule agreed with the ICC. We’ve got the ten hist venues. The next stage is to work through the detailed match schedule. This is the first World Cup ever to have 20 teams so it’s a big tournament to organize and there’s a small window from early June to the 30^th of June when the final will take place to get all the matches in. We’ve got group stages after the warm-up games. We’ve then got the super eights stage then semi-finals and final so, once that schedule is agreed, then it’s all systems go in terms of tickets being on sale around December to coincide with us welcoming England to the region,” Grave said.

  “It’s really important that we get the match schedules announced so that we can invite the world to come to the Caribbean next year,” he added.

  Grave also expressed gratitude to the various Governments who put forward successful bids to host matches.

  “We’re enormously grateful for the continued support we get from the Governments of the West Indies,” he said.

  “All of them that put forward bids have been successful in securing matches which is great news. We’re really looking forward to some of the improvements that those Governments have put forward in their proposals to us and the ICC in terms of ensuring that they are ready for what is the pinnacle of the men’s game currently. It’s a huge opportunity for the region to use the platform of hundreds of millions of fans watching our beautiful countries and our iconic venues and we want everyone in the world to come to the Caribbean and experience what we have to offer,” he added.

  While encouraging people from all over the world to make the trip, Grave also urged local fans to come out and support the regional side in their bid for a third World T20 title.

  “Absolutely. We’ve seen that unique kind of atmosphere when we hosted the 2018 Women’s World T20 with big crowds in St. Lucia and Antigua when the West Indies played and I’m sure when the West Indies play next June there’ll be big crowds at all the venues,” he said.

  “We want every host country to show what a welcoming and exciting place this is to watch and play cricket and it’s really important that the fans come out in their masses. The school children will be invited as part of our community engagement program so that we can show what kind of an atmosphere it is to the world,” Grave added.

   

   

   

   

• Naparima, Fatima and San Juan North maintain 100 per cent win records in SSFL

  Naparima, Fatima and San Juan North maintained their unblemished records following the fourth round of matches in Trinidad and Tobago’s Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) on Saturday.

  Naparima College produced the most impressive victory of the unbeaten schools with a 7-0 thrashing of East Mucurapo Secondary. The result means they sit atop the 15-team league table with 12 points but enjoy a far-superior goal difference over Fatima College, who blanked Pleasantville Secondary 5-0.

  San Juan North Secondary had a tougher time of it as they edged Queens Royal College 2-1 and lie third in the standings.

  Meanwhile, Presentation College picked up their second win of the season with an impressive 3-0 victory over Chaquanas North Secondary. The three points earned from the win sees them fourth in the standings with seven points, one more than fifth-place Malick Secondary, who lost 1-2 to Speyside High School, who also have six points but are seventh on goal difference.

  Also on six points but are sixth in the standings are Arima North Secondary who battled St Benedict’s College to a 1-1 stalemate.

  St Anthony’s College defeated St Mary’s College 3-0 for their second win of the season in the other fixture played on Saturday.

   

   

• T&T's Head coach Eve believes Soca Warriors on path to success; urges support from local fans for next month's fixture

  Well aware that many football enthusiasts are not fond of his leadership, Trinidad and Tobago’s Head Coach Angus Eve has encouraged the public’s continued support for the players, despite personal feelings of him.

  Eve’s side recently secured two crucial victories over Curacao and El Salvador in their Concacaf Nations League campaign, and the strength of those performances has resulted in a climb up the latest FIFA World Rankings.

  Trinidad and Tobago, who currently head Group A of League A on six points, jumped back into the top 100 on the world rankings after sometime away.

  They will be aiming to make further inroads during the October window when they engage Guatemala and Curacao and Eve believes they deserve every bit of support.

  “(The fans) may not come out and support Angus Eve because they may have an issue with Angus Eve, but let's support these players who are trying to do something positive for their country and nation. It's extremely important that people come out and support and understand that this is a new beginning,” Eve said at a media briefing recently.

  "The campaign has started like a house on fire. It's a new beginning. There is a lot more work to be done, but we are well-placed and we have a good platform to build on.

  "Our country is in a state where we're losing young people every day through violence and gun violence and to see young people do something positive for the country (is great). They go out and give their hearts to their country. It may be a case where we need to come out and support that," he added.

  Given their current position, Eve knows that a win against Guatemala at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on October 13, would book Trinidad and Tobago a spot in the Concacaf Nations League quarter-finals where they will meet one of the four seeded Concacaf nations –Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico or the US.

  As such, he stressed the significance of the 12th man to give players an extra lift when the time comes.

  "Any team at home is dangerous. Some places don't think home advantage means anything, but we need to capitalise on home advantage and we need to capitalise on this start we have gotten. Hopefully, the fans will come out and celebrate these kids and push them forward so they can continue to achieve excellence,” the tactician said.

  On that note, the 51-year-old Eve pointed out that though unexpected by many, the start to the Nations League is confirmation that his players are focused.

  "We believe in ourselves and we believe that if we go out and do the work we can do, and match these teams' intensity, we can compete at this level,” he reasoned.

  "Our first inclination would have been trying to stay in (Nations League) A, just like any team who (has been promoted) to the Premier League. We have to take it one game at a time. If we get a point, we are guaranteed a spot in the Nations League A. If we get three points, then who knows, the sky's the limit for us,” Eve ended.