The Everest Cricket Club ground at the confluence of Camp Road and Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown was the venue to be when the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs’ Heritage Sports Month celebrations commenced.
This powerful shot muscled the ball out of the ground
Events began with hundreds of spectators and athletes gathering to witness the highly anticipated cricket matches, in which all teams were designated 10 overs per side. The males battled it out using tape ball, while the females played softball.
Male cricket
Region One vs Sand Hills was
the first match of the day. Region One took to the crease first, and posted 74-4 in their allotted overs. Their top-scorers were Keyon La Rose with 24, Orison Sealy with 18, and Dexell Booker, who remained unbeaten on 17.
A section of the crowd observing an ongoing game of cricket
Bowling for Sand Hills were Daniel Leacock with 3-6 and Joshua Leacock with 1-9.
Needing 75 to win, Sand Hills were prepped for victory, but things didn’t quite go the way they had planned, and they were restricted to 59-5. Joshua Leacock remained unbeaten on 32, but it wasn’t enough to save his side, as Michael Sutton, Shane La Rose, Keyon La Rose and Tariq Mohamed each bagged a wicket to hand their side victory.
Campbell Town vs Region 3
Unlike the opening game, this matchup was rather simple, as Region 5, who opted to bat first, could only afford a total of 48-8, with Garfield John being the top scorer with 12.
The Region 5 innings was wrecked by the bowling of Romario Nascimento, Dorian Grenion and Junior McIntosh, who each bagged a wicket; and Sherwin Clements and Keron Shaw, who each picked up two valuable wickets.
Campbell Town wasted no time in chasing down the total, ending on 49-2 in 6.2 overs, and winning by 8 wickets as Ron Williams led the way with a quick-fire 21. No bowler of the opposing team could pose any threat to this team.
Laluni vs Region 2
Defending champions Laluni lost the opening toss, thus Region 2 posted a commanding total of 89-5 in their allotted 10 overs, wherein balls flew to every part of the Everest Cricket Ground.
Shaquille Rigby, Sylvan Williams and Patel Persaud were the chief scorers with figures of 20, 25 and 19 runs respectively, while Avinash Mohabir and Troy Domingo each bagged two wickets.
Needing 90 for victory, the defending champions got off to a miserable start, and lost wickets at key intervals, forcing them on the back foot. The heroics of Maxie Vieira, however, propelled his team to victory as he single-handedly pulled off the impossible in 7.3 overs. Vieira top-scored with 52, launching balls out of the park many times.
Although Sylvian Williams, Shaquille Rigby and Patel Persaud bagged wickets, they were unable to stop the Vieira onslaught as Laluni ended on 91-4.
Female cricket
Swan battled Region 2 in a thriller, wherein Region 2 posted 80 all-out. However, Swan made light work of the total, ending on 81-7, and winning the game by 3 wickets.
Part of the action in the female cricket
Region 10 then defeated Region 5 with consummate ease. Batting first, Region 5 posted 76-4 in their allotted 10 overs. Region 10 came to the crease and surpassed that amount with a brilliant 77-8, despite losing wickets at key moments.
Region 6 then lost to Region 3, but the encounter was a thriller from the first ball bowled. Region 6 posted 55-6, while Region 3 ended on 56-2 to take the spoils.
