Police opening batsman Brandon Ramdial was named North Zone Cricket Council “Cricketer of the Year” at the zone’s 40th annual awards function on Sunday July 9, held at the Auditorium Restaurant and Lounge, Government Campus Plaza, Port-of-Spain.
The hard-hitting right-hander smacked 853 runs for the season and took two wickets for the Police team that won all three North Zone competitions in 2023 and earned promotion to Premier Division II North.
Ramdial beat competition from Police skipper Justin Joseph, Carl Vialva of Barataria Ball Players, Earnil Ryan of Combine All Stars, and Pradeem Ali of Savannah Boys in taking the top individual award at the event.
Playing in the Senior Division, Ramdial hit 219 not out against Glenora Sports Club, 122 against Paragon, and 115 against Savannah Boys in a stellar season that saw him rack up 620 runs in the Senior Division.
Police won six of their seven games in the Senior Division, playing unbeaten through the season, and amassing 170 points.
Among the Players of the Year short-list, Ali scored 486 runs and took 22 wickets for Savannah Boys, who were semifinalists in the T20 tournament, while Ryan amassed 570 runs and took 24 wickets for Combine All Stars.
Carl Vialva had another excellent season scoring 357 runs and taking 43 wickets for Barataria Ball Players, who made it to the finals of the 40-over tournament.
Joseph took 41 wickets for Police with this left-arm spin to help his team to win the League, 40-over, and T20 titles in 2023.
Competitions
The North Zone Cricket Council staged four tournaments for the season, inclusive of the Senior Division, Division One, 40-over, and T20 championships.
In the 40-over tournament, Kendall Guerra was named MVP for his 215 runs for North Coast United, while Dejourn Charles was awarded the MVP award for the T20 tournament, for getting 336 runs with two centuries.
Earnil Ryan was the Division One MVP after a superlative season where he scored 139 against Invincible and 114 for Shannon in getting to 406 runs for the year.
Ryan was also the only player to take a ten-wicket haul for the season, getting 10/25 against St Mary’s College.
In the Senior Division, Carl Vialva was named MVP for taking the joint most wickets (33 with Joseph) and also scored 136 against Santa Cruz Sports Club.
The Barataria Ball Players star took the incredible figures of 6 for 6 against Glenora Sports Club, 6 for 7 against North Coast United, and 5 for 5 versus Fatima College.
North Zone Cricket Council Chairman Winston Sobers congratulated all the teams saying that they have contributed to a product that many are talking about.
“Just ask the Police (Sports Club), our dominant force in the zone this year. While they have been promoted to Premier Division 2, they are as we speak contemplating staying in the North Zone because things are sweet in this zone,” Sobers said.
The North Zone Chairman also congratulated the zones’ youth players for their success in 2023.
“The U19 team won the trophy, while the U17s and the U13s made it to the semifinals. A number of them have made it onto the national team,” Sobers said.
Female Programme
Sobers announced that the North Zone is also set to commence their female cricket program in September, with the aim of having a team participate in the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Cricket Board competitions.
“A number of persons have already signed up and we expect this program to be a success,” Sobers said.
Sobers also called on sponsors, club members, and the Council to exceed the performances of 2023 during the 2024 season.
The 40th North Zonal Council Awards were attended by Sport and Performance Psychology Consultant, Dr Nadine Sammy, who was the featured speaker for the event.
Dr. Sammy, who recently worked with the West Indies women’s senior team during their successful series against Ireland, spoke on the topic of building mental strength for sport and life in general.
Speakers included Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) General Secretary, Altaf Baksh, who praised the Zone for its exemplary governance of the sport, North Zone Umpires’ Association Chairman Shawn Wilson, and Zaheer Abass, of the North Zone Secondary Schools Cricket League.
Entertainment was provided by pannist Mahalia Thomas and saxophonist Malcolm Boyce.
North Zone Competitions 2023
40-overs
Winners: Police Sports Club
MVP – Kendall Guerra – North Coast United
Most Wickets – Derron Wilson – Barataria Ball Players – 14 wickets
Most Runs – Kendall Guerra – North Coast United – 215 runs
T20
Winners – Police Sports Club
MVP – Dejourn Charles – Police Sports Club
Most Runs – Dejourn Charles – 336
Most Wickets: Miguel Mahabir – Invincible Sports Club – 9 wickets
Damien Brown – Police Sports Club – 9 wickets
Pradeem Ali – Savannah Boys – 9 wickets
Division One
Winners – Invincible Cricket Club
MVP – Earnil Ryan – Combine All Stars
Most Runs – Earnil Ryan – Combine All Stars – 406 runs
Most Wickets – Ramesh Dhanraj – Invincible Sports Club – 23 wickets
Senior Division
Winners – Police Sports Club
MVP – Carl Vialva – Barataria Ball Players
Most Wickets – Carl Vialva – Barataria Ball Players – 33 wickets
Justin Joseph – Police Sports Club – 33 wickets
Most Runs – Brandon Ramdial- 620 runs
