The 2010 Masters Parish league got off to an impressive start with a brief opening ceremony at the Elquemedo Willet Park on Sunday fourteenth November.
The proceedings were chaired by chief organizer, Curtis Morton who after delivering a prayer, sought very early to clear the air on the tournament. Morton indicated that the tournament was conceived out of the general feeling that the senior cricketers on Nevis wanted to play cricket and that the tournament was not meant as a selection base for the Nevis Masters team, but must be viewed only as a fun tournament.
Marketing chief at DIGICEL, Ms Genieve Hanley, represented her company with brief remarks. She noted that her company was very happy to partner with such a tournament that would enhance camaraderie and exercise among the senior cricketers. She indicated that her company will be donating two phones, one to the batsman with the most runs and the other to the bowler with the most wickets.
Ms Corrine Caines represented main sponsors, Nevis Multi line. She noted that her company was very happy to be affiliated with the tournament and urged the cricketers to play hard and fair and to enjoy themselves. She also promised that she would make time to witness some of the games.
The Nevis Multi line is contributing one thousand dollars to the tournament which will be dealt with as follows:
Winning team—Five hundred dollars
Second placed team—Three hundred dollars
MVP of the tournament—Two hundred dollars
President of the Nevis Cricket Association Ronald Powell then addressed the gathering. He admonished the players to enjoy the matches but set examples for the younger players to follow.
He noted that a lot of criticism has been levelled at some of the younger players and asked the older players to show them proper examples to follow.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Mr. Alsted Pemberton was high in praise for the main organizer of the tournament for his efforts and noted that it was yet another avenue for the seniors to showcase their talents. He saluted Stuart Williams for his recent brilliant innings in the Caribbean Masters tournament and asked the cricketers to take an example from him and even go on to play in the prestigious tournament.
He then officially declared the league open.
Immediately after the opening ceremony, The Dango Farrell St.Kitts Masters team engaged their Nevisian counterparts in a tournament opener.
It turned out to be a very crowd pleasing game as the crowd built up at the ETW Park.
The Nevis Masters batted first and scored a competitive 121 for 3 from 15 overs. Captain Merlin Liburd batted through the innings and top scored with an unbeaten sixty-three and Wendell Wallace came in towards the end of the innings to hit a quick fire 40. Liburd’s knock included one particularly huge strike, which landed in the general area of the practice nets on the hillside at the Eastern end of the ground.
For the St.Kitts team, Leader collected 2 wickets and Hendrickson 1.
The St.Kitts team seemed to be running away with the game when they raced to forty for no loss from just four overs with Colin Saddler and Junie Mitchum batting really well.
However, Teddy Blackman Liburd and Patrick Newton, both taking the pace off the ball, suddenly put a halt on the quick scoring. The St.Kitts players all lost their way, with the exception of Tony Grant who played a brief but exciting cameo which included two huge sixes from the bowling of Merlin Liburd.
The St.Kitts team required all of 19 runs from the final over which was bowled by Wendell Wallace. They only managed six and this included an emphatic thumping four, straight down the ground from the bat of Curtis Crooke.
The cricketers generally agreed that the newly laid track prepared by Jabal Walwyn and his team, played very well.
One two overs knockout match was played afterwards between St.George’s and a select St.John’s team. St.George’s could only muster 21 in the allotted two overs and the St.John’s team led by an attacking Charles Morton, knocked off the total with all of five balls to spare. The league matches will officially commence on Thursday 18th November at 5pm.
Masters Parish league fixtures
Sun 14th Nov 1pm-opening ceremony
Wilful Skilful
Nevis v St.Kitts Parish league two overs knockout
Thurs 18th Nov St.George’s v St.Thomas’
Sunday 21st Nov 2pm-St.Paul’s v St.John’s 5pm-St.James’ v St.George’s
Thurs Nov 25th St. Paul’s v St.John’s
Sun 28th Nov 2pm
St. George’s v St.Paul’s 5pm-
St.John’s v St.James’
Thurs 2nd December St.Thomas’ v St.Paul’s
Sun 5th Dec 2pm—St.George’s v St.John’s 5pm-St.Thomas’ v St.James’
Thurs 9th Dec St.Thomas’ v St.John’s
Sun 12th Dec Semi finals
2pm—Team one v Team four 5pm
Team two v Team three
Thurs sixteenth Dec FINALS
Winner game one v winner game two
Kindly note the following:
• Matches will be 20 overs per innings
• Matches will be guided by international T-20 rules
• All matches will be played at the Ramsbury grounds
• Matches will be played on Thursdays starting at 5pm and on Sundays starting at 2pm and 5 pm respectively
• One half hour grace period from the scheduled start will be allowed. Teams not fielding at least 7 players up to the completion of the half hour grace period will forfeit the match
• Rained out matches will result in one point for each team
