Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board president Azim Bassarath is expecting more intense competition in the 2012 domestic season, thanks to the restructuring of the National League competitions which were approved at the end of the 2011 season.

Bassarath, speaking at a media luncheon at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain Couva yesterday when the 2012 fixtures were revealed, said that 2011 was dominated by Queen's Park Cricket Club who won all three domestic titles, but "with an expanded Premiership in 2012, we expect keener, more intense competition."

The local cricket season bowls off on January 21, with the Premier Division Sunday League 50 over competition and concludes on June 2 with the Premiership Twenty20 Festival at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.

The new structure increases the number of teams participating in the top tier competition--the Premier Division--from ten to 12 while the second tier--the Championship Division--will now have 30 teams instead of 24.

The Championship Division will also be divided into a North-Central Division, a East-North East Division and a South Division comprising ten teams each instead of the previous format which had a North and a South Championship comprising 12 teams each.

"Our Championship Divisions have also been re-structured and we expect that the clubs in these divisions, with less travel and less costs to bear, will be able to give total focus to strengthening their institutions and building their game," Bassarath added.

Bassarath also spoke about the upgrade of the TTCB headquarters at Balmain which he said was "absolutely critical".

He explained that prior to the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007, plans were drawn up to transform the NCC to World Cup standard. These plans included revamped administrative offices, media facilities, a stand to accommodate 5,000 patrons, a children's play park, patron parking and a bridge to link the Ato Boldon Stadium, which were all budgeted at TT$25 million.

Referring to the still unfinished Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba which is estimated to cost more than a billion dollars to complete, Bassarath said: "Every day when I drive past a certain edifice in Tarouba…I experience a deep pain. A pain for all sport-loving people of Trinidad and Tobago, including the man whose name is attached to this ill-advised, incomplete and unused national albatross."

"We all know what happened and what failed to happen. Talk, swagger and bravado are cheap, poor decision making and ill conceived and or badly manage projects are not," Bassarath said.

"Let me state that we intend to pursue the improvements to this Balmain facility with fervor. I am dreaming of two years to the date, when tangible evidence will be seen by you, I, and all those who utilise this plant," he added.

TTCB treasurer Sukesh Maniam said that one of the upgrades they were pursuing was the installation of international standard lighting at the facility to facilitate night cricket and that could be the first major improvement project for the venue in 2012.

Bassarath also noted that the TTCB will boost its staff in the areas of senior management and cricket operations in an effort improve the performance of the Board.

In terms of administration, he said the TTCB recently undertook an exercise to streamline their operations by revamping committees, having a strategic plan, revisiting their development programmes and reviewing the TTCB constitution.

"The work that is taking place away from the public glare is  to ensure that we do what is best for the sport. We want to be consistently top class. Those who have administered the game before us have left a strong legacy and it is our turn to strengthen and enhance that legacy," said Bassarath.

By Roger Seepersad

Source: www.trinidadexpress.com