CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association has announced a women’s talent scouting programme in 37 districts from May 13 to 21 to identify young talent across the state. The Talent Scout Wing will have four selection committee members, each comprising two men and women former cricketers and selectors, who will be covering four districts in a weekend.
In each district, the best team and a maximum of 22 players will be picked to undergo a camp at respective venues. After nine months, an inter-district tournament will be conducted from which 20-25 players will be brought to Chennai to take part in the 6-8 teams for the Freyer Tournament (one-day and T20).
Speaking at the launch, former India cricketer and TNCA CAC Chairman Sudha Shah said that the popularity of women’s games in the districts is growing at a rapid pace with over 400 players turning up for the selection trials last year. “We are going to try and identify potential cricketers in each district, keeping the minimum age as 13. From our selections, a lot of them have come from the districts. The u-15 captain (G Kamalini) is from Madurai and she scored three centuries and a fifty. A lot of the U-15 talents were from the districts,” said Shah, adding that they are hoping to create a pool of players to start a Women’s TNPL in the near future.
TNCA President Ashok Sigamani said that the plan for a women’s tournament has been in the pipeline for a while now. “Now, we are focusing on the quality of players. Once the teams are ready, the players are really good, definitely, we will be having a TNPL for women,” he said.
Selection schedule: May 13 - Cuddalore (7 AM), Salem (7.30 AM), Madurai (7.30 AM), Nilgiris (8.30 AM), Theni (2PM), Villupuram (2 PM), Namakkal (2.30 PM), Coimbatore (3 PM); MAY 14 - Tiruppur (7 AM), Thiruvannamalai (7.30 AM), Karur (8 AM), Krishnagiri (8.30 AM), Dindigul (2 PM), Tirupattur (2.39 PM), Erode (2.30 PM), Dharmapuri (2.30 PM); May 17 - Kancheepuram (8 AM), Chengalpattu (8 AM), Thiruvallur (8 AM), Vellore (8.30 AM), Ranipet (2.30 PM); May 20 - Tuticorin (7 AM), Kanyakumari (7 AM), Trichy (7 AM), Mayilaaduthurai (7.30 AM), Thenkasi (2.30 PM), Ramanathapuram (2.30 PM), Ariyalur (2.30 PM), Nagapattinam (2.30 PM); May 21 - Perambalur (7.30 AM), Thuruvarur (7.30 AM), Sivagangai (7.30 AM), Virudhunagar (8 AM), Tirunelveli (2.30 PM), Pudukkottai (2.30 PM), Kallakurichi (2.30 PM), Thanjavur (2.30 PM).
