A historic and unprecedented merger in the Premiership Division One will see reigning champions Central Sports defend their league title under a new banner this season,
After formally joining forces with the Barrackpore-based Yorkshire Cricket Club in a move driven by survival, sustainability, and shared ambition, the newly-formed Central Sports Yorkshire will take the field when the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) season bowls off today.
It will mark the first time in recent history that two established top-division clubs have merged resources at this level of local cricket.
President of the Felicity-based Central Sports, Richard Ramkissoon, confirmed that the back-to-back league champions of 2024 and 2025 will now pursue a historic hat-trick.
“The first thing you have to understand is that Central Sports will be defending their title under a new name—Central Sports Yorkshire,” Ramkissoon told the Express.
He explained that the pooling of resources was born out of economic necessity, with both clubs recognising the financial realities facing community cricket.
“A merger is taking place between two clubs who would have seen it fit because of the present economic environment to combine their resources to allow for the sustainability of both clubs to participate in cricket,” he revealed.
Ramkissoon stressed that the arrangement goes beyond present convenience, noting that both clubs have equal ownership of the new institution.
“Central Sports and Yorkshire have signed a legal document where both of us own the new institution, the new legal entity, which would be Central Sports Yorkshire,” he revealed.
Under the agreement, financial responsibilities will be shared.
“Both organisations will be analysing the different types of expenses that are expected to be incurred, and we will be making decisions as to which organisation will be paying which expense. So, it’s a shared responsibility,” Ramkissoon explained.
Despite Central Sports’ championship status, the club will compete under Yorkshire’s fixtures this season. “After we met, we had to choose one of the fixtures, and after discussions with the two entities, we have decided to go with Yorkshire’s fixtures,” Ramkissoon indicated.
He also noted that cricket will remain rooted in both communities, with matches split between venues.
“We have five home games and they will be shared between Cunjal Ground in south Trinidad and Invaders Ground in Felicity,” he said, adding that the opening fixture will be against Bess Motors Marchin Patriots at Cunjal.
Ramkissoon also emphasised that the merger is not temporary.
“This is not one-off arrangement…this is an indefinite arrangement where both clubs would be pooling their resources together as a new entity, which is Central Sports Yorkshire, going forward and trying to allow us to be sustainable in the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yorkshire president Vishnauth Maharaj, also known as Rishi, echoed those sentiments, pointing to scarce funding and a difficult economic climate as key drivers towards the merger. “We had to compete for scarce resources, financial support, and sponsorship, and the downturn in the economy,” Maharaj said.
“So we said in the best interest of both villages and in order to keep the flag of cricket flying high, we decided that instead of fighting each other for resources, we could pool our resources together.”
He said the decision was taken after months of internal discussion. “In the interest of cricket, this might be the best thing for both clubs,” Maharaj noted.
He confirmed that the merged club will contest the two-day league, 50-over and T20 competitions, with development programmes planned across both communities, as Central Sports Yorkshire look to combine survival with continued success and a sustainable future in top-flight cricket.
In team news, former Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies “chinaman” bowler Dave “Tadpole” Mohammed has been recruited to coach the new outfit this season and will have players like Samuel Roopnarine, Nicholas Ali, Videsh Sookhai, Antonio Gomez as well as Guyanese and West Indies off-spinner Kevin Sinclair in the squad.
In other matches spanning the next two days, Merry Boys face Queen’s Park Cricket Club at Honeymoon Park in El Dorado; PowerGen Penal Sports face off against Preysal Sports at Inshan Ali Park in Preysal; while Victoria United will host KFC Clarke Road United in Barrackpore.
The TTCB will officially bowl off the season at 9.15 a.m. at Gilbert Park in California with an opening ceremony ahead of the Premiership 2 South match between Caldrac Sports and Club Sando. Minister of Public Utilities Barry Padarath, MP for Couva South, is expected to attend and meet the players and officials.
Premiership 1 Fixtures:
Round 1 – January 24-25
Merry Boys vs QPCC, Honeymoon Park
Central Sports Yorkshire vs Bess Motors Marchin Patriots, Cunjal
Preysal Sports vs PowerGen Penal Sports, Inshan Ali Park
Victoria United vs KFC Clarke Road, Barrackpore
Prison Sports (Bye)
Tomi Lupo
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