Bastian inspires Mahdia’s clean sweep

Mahdia Expo 2025 created history on Friday, November 14, with the hosting of its first-ever school-level cricket competition at the Campbelltown Ground, delivering a day filled with excitement, talent, and strong community support.
The inaugural three-match series between Mahdia and Micobie showcased some of the region’s brightest young cricketers, with Mahdia dominating all three encounters through exceptional all-round performances.
In the opening match, Mahdia set the tone by posting a commanding 206 for 2, led by a magnificent unbeaten 131 from hometown standout Caleb Bastian, well supported by Gordon McLennan’s 43. Micobie’s bowlers struggled, with only V Prince managing breakthroughs with figures of 2 for 35. In reply, Micobie were dismissed for 84 as Mahdia’s bowlers shared the wickets, with A Baird claiming 3 for 17 while Ezekiel Clements (2 for 21); Bastian (2 for 14) and Elvis Michael (2 for 10) all contributed to a comprehensive victory.

The second game brought a more competitive contest, but Mahdia again prevailed after choosing to bat first and reaching 150 for 9. Once more, Bastian led from the front with a superb 88, while McLennan added 22. Micobie’s bowlers, led by J Roberts (2 for 33); E Williams (2 for 34) and Prince (2 for 53), put in an improved effort. Micobie then reached 113 for 5 in their chase, with Roberts top-scoring with 59, but tight bowling from Mahdia – through Clements (1 for 28), Baird (1 for 22), and Michael (1 for 23) – kept them from threatening the target, giving Mahdia their second win of the day.
In the third and final match, Mahdia’s bowlers delivered their most dominant performance yet. Micobie, batting first, were routed for just 57, undone by destructive spells from Bastian, who claimed 3 for 5, and Clements, who took 3 for 17 – including a memorable hat-trick – while Michael added 2 for 11. Mahdia comfortably chased the target, finishing on 59 for 1, with Bastian scoring 30, McLennan unbeaten on 15, and C Harris contributing 4 not out.

Among the standout performers of the tournament, none shone brighter than Mahdia’s own Bastian, a member of the Transport Sports Club and a Demerara Under-13 player. Born and raised in Mahdia, Bastian dominated the competition with both bat and ball, finishing with an impressive 249 runs across the three matches and five wickets for just 31 runs. He collected the Most Runs and Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophies.
The title for Most Wickets went to another Mahdia talent, the energetic fast bowler Clements, who took 6 wickets for 66 runs throughout the tournament, highlighted by his brilliant hat-trick in Game Three. The first-ever school-level cricket event at Mahdia Expo 2025 marked a major milestone for youth sports in the region.