National Cricket Team goes International
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and here’s the latest version of Sports Monday. Saturday night two undefeated teams in the third week of the B.P.F.L. semi-pro clashed at Capital City Belmopan as the Builder’s Hardware Bandits hosted the red hot Juventus ball club of Orange Walk.
With the support of the home crowd, the Bandits immediately assume the role of the protagonist and almost get off to a roaring start when Denmark Casey hooks up with this foreign player Andy Hunt who sends a wicked header in the danger zone that forces Geovanny Rodriguez to come up big.
However, Juventus came to town looking for three point, so the reply comes from Raul Celiz whose grass-head burner just inches wide of the sticks.
Belmopan comes right back and almost opens the scoreboard when Edmund “The Buzzard” Pandy re-directs this misguided shot that somehow misses the target.
Belmopan continues to press when Andy Hunt tries to push this left foot past Geovanny, but again the scoreboard remains unmoved.
In the meantime Geovanny Rodriguez should have handled this situation, instead Dean Flowers gets possession and centres to newcomer Andy Hunt who heads it home for a 1-zip Bandits lead some thirty-four minutes in. And that’s the way it stood at intermission.
Very quickly into second half the Bandits attack off this set piece, but Hunt can’t deliver with the header this time.
Some twenty-five minutes before the long whistle the Bandits appear to adopt a defensive posture to protect the 1-zip lead, so Juventus begins to get more offensive opportunities and Clifford Usher should have tied the ballgame here.
Of course Juventus has usurped the role of protagonists at this juncture, but again the O.W. team fails to convert the header this time from Christopher Hendrikx.
The Bandits finally mount some offence when Deon Flowers finds Andy Hunt who fires a left foot in the goal abandoned by Rodriguez, but its right at Raul Celiz who saves the day for Juventus.
With the O.W. team still down a goal, can you believe Donnie Tun lets Charlie Slusher off the hook on this play? Donnie Tun then tries to make amends with this impressive bicycle kick, but Slusher eventually takes care of business.
Nevertheless, with a 1-nil lead waiting for the whistle won’t do, and this point is driven home to the Bandits when Usher finds Oliver Hendricks, and his crucial right foot splice finds the back of the net to tie the ball club at 1 apiece with about nine minutes to go.
But it ain’t over till its over and when Oliver Hendricks catches up with this centre into the danger zone Juventus steals the ballgame with a 2-1 big W to open the season with three straight wins in a row for a maximum nine points. Belmopan remains stalled at four points with a win, a draw, and a loss.
In other Regent Cup results, Sagitun and Griga United battled to a 1-1 draw. Both remain undefeated, but Griga is yet to post a win this season, while Sagitun has one win. Calcutta Bulls and Hankook Verdes battled to a scoreless draw, while at the M.C.C. Grounds Kulture Yabra got its first season won by sinking San Pedro Seahawks 2-1.
Turning to the cricket scene, the National Cricket Team headed to Panama over the weekend for the America’s Affiliate Cricket Championship, which will be staged from the twenty-second to the twenty-seventh of March. We must say our team is absolutely photogenic, but will they bring home the big prize? Here’s what team manager Elston Wade had to say.
Elston Wade, Manager, Natl. Cricket Team
“Belize will play four matches against Suriname first on Tuesday. On Wednesday we will play against Turks and Caicos, on Thursday it’s against Panama, and on Friday it’s against Bahamas. This is a very big competition for Belize because it is to determine which affiliate country is the best in the Americas, and we do believe that we are the best, and this tournament will in fact determine that.”
In cycling news, the Santino team almost swept the Cuidad del Carmen Classic staged in Mexico over the weekend. Jeffrey Zelaya took top honours in a solo flight, Ariel Rosado finished second also in a solo flight, Ernest Meighan then beat David Calam to take third, while Mateo Cruz settled for fifth. Santino ended up taking four of the top five positions. On the junior side, Marlon Castillo of Santino’s won the event, while Calman William Junior, riding for Sea Rays inside Mexico, finished third. We say congratulations.
In the meantime, we are looking forward to the National Road Championships, which comes up on the twenty-eighth of March. Going in Ariel Rosado is the defending champion.
That’s it for now, we invite you back same time, same place, next week. Jah over all! I’m James Adderley.
