Berlan wins opener in cricket tourney
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and you’re locked into this deal we call Sports Monday. We’ll quickly jump into the cricket scene as the Harrison Parks Competition kicked off its three game championship series for the 2003 national title on Saturday.
So we head to beautiful Bermudian Landing where for the first time in its history the home team Berlan battles to be the best in rural cricket as they face the mighty Wicked Eleven of Flower’s Bank.
In fact, this match features a Cinderella storyline since Berlan finished one spot above the cellar in its zone last season and now has a title shot the following year; a big turn around. Today they opt to bat first and it’s paid off big time.
Still, must say sorry for arriving at the scene late, because by the time we showed up “Pradeep” Perera had put up a crucial eighty-one runs, which turned out to be the game high and yes, he’s the man from game one.
This is not to say he did not receive critical aid from his fellow teammates. In fact this veteran was pretty impressive offensively.
You don’t think this old boy is pretty hot, how about this crushing swing for four, followed by this cunning slice that seems to be have seeing eyes. Yes, Berlan totals a whopping one hundred and seventy-four runs in their turn at bat.
And of course the natives feel they have something to strut about, and in fact they do. Folks, this is only the eighth pitch of the match when Kevin Flowers mows down the first Wicked Eleven batter without mercy.
The very next batter displays an inability to see the pitch and he gets cuts down on his very first swing. And Flowers ain’t done yet because with about ten runs batted in by the Wicked ones, he marches this batter back to the drawing board and would finish with all of five wickets. And yes my man, you’ve got the pose.
Berlan goes on to post the one hundred and seventy-four to one hundred and twelve win over Wicked Eleven and the competition now moves to Flower’s Bank where the wicked ones will look for some home cooking to turn things around in this best of three.
Meanwhile people, the world-renowned cricket organisation named Marylebone Cricket Club of England returns to Belize this week after a forty-four year hiatus. M.C.C. is accepted to be the keepers of the cricket flame worldwide and their visit will give the sport on the local scene a much-needed shot in the arm. Channel 5’s Patrick Jones spoke with the local organisers.
Elston Wade, Pres., Belize Natl. Cricket Assn.
“They first visited Belize in 1960 and they will again visit Belize on Thursday the twelfth of June. And they will be here until the sixteenth of June, when they will depart Belize. While they are here, they will conduct coaching clinics for high school cricketers on Friday in Lord’s Bank starting at nine a.m. and also in Belmopan at the Governor General’s cricket pitch, starting at two p.m. on Friday. Then on Saturday, they will play a match in Lord’s Bank against our national cricket team. And on Sunday, against the same national cricket team, they will play a match in Belmopan.”
“They are guardians for instance of the laws of cricket. M.C.C. would from time to time revise these laws and so on. So they will be here to update us on the laws, update us on some coaching techniques and also to teach the youngsters the basic in the game.”
Glickstein Bennett, Bowler, Belize Natl. Cricket Team
“Well as far as we are concerned, we are ready. And not that we will be playing a game that we have to win, or that they will win, but we are ready to show our best…we want to look good and I think we are ready for that.”
Patrick Jones
“Give me your take on the state of readiness of Belizean cricket.”
Glickstein Bennett
“Well, to be honest, we are quite behind time in cricket. We are not exposed to the type of cricket that is played in the outer world, like in England and so on. So, we are not that used to that fast bowling, most of us. But, yes, we are occupied in so much competition during the years, yes we are ready to play a game.”
Meanwhile folks, here’s a look at souvenir programme, which will be available at major stores countrywide all during this week. Enjoy your cricket.
Changing gears, the Santino’s Bike Land Non-Elite Master eight card calendar presented event number two on Saturday, a fifty-mile race on the Western Highway. And if the forty or so in the field look familiar, well they are they’re mostly past champions. I love this part when I say–and they’re off.
At the halfway mark this trio find themselves in the lead. But they haven’t quite run away from the pack as the chase bunch remains within striking distance. In fact, this is the duo that eventually completes the breakaway: John Burns and Robert Mariano. And yes, they do make it stick.
But at the end there is no sprint for the W as Mariano backs off and John Burns gets the win easily. Now here’s Charlie Lewis skating in for third place, forcing archrival Lindy Gillette into fourth in a sprint of former cross country champions.
And then we don’t know how Santino the chief did not it, but the veteran out-sprinted Kenneth Butler for sixth. Weh gawn on Buti? Meanwhile folks, the third and four the event on this calendar comes up on June twenty-first and twenty-second.
In closing, we just want to quickly remind you though that Kulture Yabra of Belize City and San Pedro Seahawks battled to a 1-1 draw out at island yesterday. As a result, Kulture Yabra wins the Prime Minister’s Knockout Cup Tournament on a 4-1 aggregate. Sports Monday says congratulations.
We also will be looking out for the arrival of the Marylebone Cricket Club of England, that’s on Thursday. It’s a big thing. And yeah, we hope to see you as a part of this event.
That’s it for now. Thanks to our cameramen. Jah over all! I’m James Adderley.
