Garth Wattley: T+T Division 1 Champs Central Sports (1 Jun 1997)

Monday, June 2, 1997

Champs Central Sports

By GARTH WATTLEY

The players of Sims Central Sports were singing in the rain at their Chaguanas ground yesterday in celebration of their firstever National League Division One cricket title.

But up at Tacarigua, the men of Moosai Sports were experiencing the Sunday afternoon blues as they watched the rain wash away their lingering hopes of regaining their title.

An intruiging, hotly contested contest between the two heavyweights in the Carib National League ended in soggy anticlmax as the first wet season rains prevented a ball being bowled on the final day of the season.

This was bad news for Moosai's who, after leading the race for much of the season, lost her lead on the penultimate day of action when they were bowled out for 79 by Wanderers and conceded first innings points. Central Sports however, thanks to Mahadeo Bodoe's third century of the season, an unbeaten 104 against Clarke Road, got the first innings points that eventually clinched the crown 106 to 105.

"I'm very proud, I'm very happy. I thought throughout the season we played good cricket," an elated Central Sports skipper David Williams told the Express.

The championship victory was the second in successive years for the central team and their skipper, Central Sports having won promotion to Division one this season as winners of Division two.

The National League triumph also made up in some way for Central Sports' defeat against Queen's Park in the final of the Carib Sunday League limited overs competition.

And Williams, while acknowledging the club's success was due to a "team effort," also sang the praises of Bodoe and veteran off-spinner Rukham Jaggernath.

"We call him the door," Williams said of Bodoe who, after being axed from the national team, amassed 506 runs in five innings for a staggering average of 253."

He's very difficult to get out. He loves to bat and he knows that he is the backbone of this Sims Central team. He has done a tremendous job for our team and for me as captain," Williams added.

Jaggernath with his 40 wickets (average 10.04) was second only to Moosai's leg-spinner Vishal Persad-Maharaj (41) in the wicket-taking. And Williams also acknowledged the vital role he had played in the campaign.

"If you look at Jaggie's bowling, he finished up with 40 wickets and I think that was a tremendous boost. He's really been great for us. He has done the job whenever I've asked him to do it," the captain said. Last year at this time, Renwick Bishop was the man speaking graciously of his side. But this year, the "Pride of the East," will go without silverware. And today, they will be rueing their inabiliy to reach the modest Wanderers score of 128 on Saturday.

Wanderers who got the better of their arch-rivals in every game this season, sealed third place with the 15 points gained from the final game.

There was no salvation for Preysal Sports however. Despite ending a disappointing season with a first innings victory over Alescon Comets, they were demoted to Division two, finishing some 18 points behind Comets.

But there will be no sorrow today for the Central Sports supporters and sponsor Mike Sims who was on hand to witness the victory. They will be thankful that when it really mattered, their team had the killer punch.

Final Standings: Sims Central Sports (champions), 106 pts, Moosai Sports 101, Wanderers 82, Queen's Park 72, Santa Cruz 65, Clarke Road 63, Alescon Comets 52, Preysal 34 (relegated).

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)