North Zone league champions El Socorro Youth Movement (EYM) whipped UWI Cricket Club by an innings and 40 runs to earn promotion to the Premiership II Division in 2025.
Opening bowler Saied Razzack took 4 for 16 while Keon Issac (2/16) and Kawsie Alfred (2/14) supported in firing out UWI for 71 in their first innings at Knowles Street Recreation Ground on Saturday.
UWI fought back to reduce EYM to 123 for 6 but Richard Ali rallied EYM to 285 with a superb 132 not out off 132 balls.
Ali struck 16 fours and put on 43 for the seventh wicket with Keon Isaac (15) and 57 for the ninth wicket with Akil Timothy (18).
He then added a further 41 for the final wicket with Razzack (12).
When UWI batted a second time, Razzack again was outstanding with 3 for 36 before a fired-up Ali took four wickets in a devastating 16-ball spell to clinch qualification for EYM.
EYM club President Ismahieel Ali was pleased and relieved with his team’s return to Premiership II, the second level of club cricket in Trinidad and Tobago.
“It was a sense of relief, a sense of happiness knowing all the hard work at times that went into this season which is yet to be completed. The two-day (tournament) was our goal so it was very fulfilling to see the boys put out the hard work and go out there and complete the victory against UWI,” he said.
“At the game in Curepe on both Saturday and Sunday, we had a lot of support from Boundary Road, with (the fans) coming on both days to see us. Local boy Richard Ali put on a brilliant hundred and there were fine contributions from other players. It was great to see the support and the community is really buzzing right now knowing that we brought home what we told them, what we promised them. They are looking forward to 2025 with us,” Ali added.
Ali praised the all-round performance of Richard Ali, who he said helped his team out of a troublesome period on Saturday afternoon.
“UWI had us in a bit of trouble coming down to the end of Saturday, but he led from the front, as he has done throughout the season, with over 650 runs and three centuries in the two-day league. He did promise me at the beginning of the season exactly what he was going to do and he did say he was coming in the final and bring us back up to Premiership II,” he said.
“When I went to the club about 10 years ago, he was a stalwart and he is now a legend with the club. He comes with experience. He comes with grit and determination…He is a role model for the youngsters of how to how to build and innings, how to take pressure and how to lead from the front. It was a brilliant hundred,” Ali added.
Ali also identified the bowling of seamer Saieed Razzaq in EYM’s success in the match.
“Saieed has been one of our fast bowlers who has been doing the hard work and getting wickets, those early breakthroughs. He came up trump in both first innings and second innings to break the back of UWI’s batting. He really has been tremendous with us and delivered once again,” he said.
Ali says his team will start preparation for their return to Premiership II immediately.
“At the end of Sunday, I told the players that Premiership II starts from this weekend. We need to look forward to getting the season started early, the 2025 season. We are really looking to blood some new players because we know the demands of Premier II,” he said.
“We’ve been there for some years and being out of it for one year will not hamper us, one will expect. We are going to back our boys, back the experience but definitely we are going to try to blood some new players to take ourselves further to Premiership II and, hopefully in a year or two, to Premiership I,” Ali added.
EYM is currently competing in the North Zone 40-over tournament, opening their campaign last weekend with a resounding 107-run win over Queen’s Park Cricket Club.
They face Ebony Sports and Cultural Club at Boundary Road on 21 April.
Summarized scores: UWI Cricket Club 71 in 24.2 overs (Rowdell Tracey 18; Saied Razzack 4/16, Kawsie Alfred 2/14, Keon Isaac 2/16) and 174 in 41.4 overs (Olyster Wilson 51, Derrick Jaglal 27; Richard Ali 4/6, Saied Razzack 3/36) vs. El Socorro Youth Movement 285 in 64.3 overs (Richard Ali 132*, Kawsie Alfred 37; Bhisham Kissoon 4/84, Renaldo Kisson 4/84, Renaldo Manchand 2/37). EYM won by an innings and 40 runs
