… Introduction of Over-50 tournament on the cards

By Frederick Halley

TORONTO, Canada – The Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) is aiming to accommodate a record 100 teams when the 2021 season bowls off in May. This represents an almost 50 per cent increase from its successful shortened 2020 season which ended on the first weekend of October.
President Shiv Persaud made the disclosure during last Saturday’s ‘Virtual Recognition Night’ which saw outstanding players and teams being recognised for their sterling efforts in the truncated 2020 season.
Among the other major developments will be the introduction of an Over-50 competition and the return of the women and youth tournaments which weren’t played in 2020.

According to the Guyanese-born Persaud, “In 2021, we will be introducing a senior age 50 plus competition playing 30 overs, our T20 and T30 competitions will be standalone allowing for promotion and demotion and our Third Division will be playing 40 overs.”
Persaud was however quick to point out that all Ministry of Health and Provincial guidelines as regards the COVID-19 pandemic will be adhered to and the staging of the tournaments will be highly dependent on these instructions.

Persaud pointed out that “our youths and women divisions were severely impacted as we did not have any participation for season games and our senior competition saw less participation than was initially planned. However, we do look forward to a record participation for the 2021 season.
“We will also be scheduling 14 games per team across all our senior competitions. This is two games more than previous years.”
Persaud alluded to the fact that the SCA was celebrating its 40th anniversary and had grand plans to celebrate. “However, we do look forward to making it a memorable celebration in 2021. We are grateful for the advancement of technology to be celebrating our first-ever virtual awards night.”
Persaud said he was extremely proud of his members and executives for ensuring the full completion of the shortened season without any health emergency. “Our objective was to maximise the number of games as much as possible so our players can maintain a healthy forum to interact and engage in physical activity through the sport of cricket.

“This played a vital role in helping us to cope with the emotional and stressful circumstances we are faced with. Congratulations to all our teams who won their respective groups and our players who turned in outstanding individual performances. Your contribution and performances did not go unnoticed.”
Persaud also informed that SCA will be presenting the actual trophies when it is safe to do so in the near future.
SCA also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the late Richard Ramlall, long-standing executive member and who also served as president of Victoria Park Cricket Club for 43 years. Ramlall died on December 12 and was laid to rest last Thursday.
A minute’s silence was observed in his memory and this was followed by a video tribute, highlighting Ramlall’s sterling contribution to cricket in Ontario and Canada. In an emotional tribute, Persaud described Ramlall as his mentor and a legend.