More foreign teams for Sir Garry tourney

From next year, teams from as far as Argentina and the Netherlands will be making their debut at the Sir Garfield Sobers International Schools' Cricket Tournament here in Barbados.

This was revealed by Don Gooding, the United Kingdom co-ordinator, and one of the people involved with the tournament from its inception in 1987.

There will also be a team from Brisbane, Australia, and six new teams from England are interested in the 2001 competition, some making commitments until 2002.

This is one of the objectives which patron Sir Garry envisaged many years ago.

'When the tournament started, we were hoping to attract international groups from Australia, India, Pakistan and as far as Dubai, but we haven't been able to break the ice,'he said.

This year, there are 20 schools, with a record 17 from overseas for the July 10-31 competition which is 40 overs per side.

Five are from the United Kingdom, 10 from the Caribbean, three local and one from Canada, including defending champions Grenada Schools and runners-up Foundation.

Presentation College of Trinidad are back again, having never missed a tournament.

The newcomers are Carriacou Combined Schools and Emmanuel High School, both from St. Vincent, and San Fernando Comprehensive School from Trinidad.

A question mark remains on St. Kitts Academy and Alleyne School is on standby.

Through the Barbados Tourism Authority, Sir Garry tours the Test-playing nations making presentations and issuing invitations, but the seasons hamper the expansion.

Gooding explained that when Barbadian schools are on holiday, countries further afield are not and the English teams do not want to play each other so they need to consider 'tinkering with the dates'.

The competition has been a grooming ground for cricketers who have gone on to represent the West Indies, England and South Africa and Sir Garry has expressed pride with its development through the years.