The Set Up

We were privileged to witness quite an interesting T10 Splash in last December, where team progressed from both zones due to net run rate. It seems as if we are in for some very interesting games in the upcoming three games.

Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties and no one team would believe that the expected frontrunners (Empire Nation and Liberta Blackhawks) would not be in the top 4 positions. Both of them have found themselves in unusual places at this stage of the competition. One may say you can’t class Liberta with Empire, but we must, due to the fact that these two teams have won the most competitions for the past 10 years.

The two teams are on 12 points with Bethesda Golden Eagles resting somewhat comfortably on 22 points, closely followed by the New Winthorpes Lions on 18 points. All Saints Pythons are on 16 while Jennings are on 14 points. To add to the spectacle, Pigotts also have 12 points and have the chance to progress to the semifinal stage. The next three teams have no hope of progressing even if they won all their games they would not have enough points to get into the top 4.

Any team (New Winthorpes & Bethesda) that reaches or passes 24 points on Saturday can literally say that they have progressed to the semifinals. Fortunately so, Bethesda is on 22 points with New Winthorpes closely behind on 20 points. Just one win for each on the weekend and both will be through to the next round. Funny enough, the two will meet on Saturday on Round 7 which will be a match you don’t want to miss.

Table Topper – Lions vs Golden Eagles

Bethesda and New Winthorpes have played the best cricket thus far in the competition. They have both been clinical versus the small teams and were able to do all the right things when they met the bigger teams. Both have beaten the Empire Nation and Liberta Blackhawks which are easily considered the top cricket clubs in Antigua & Barbuda. Additionally, their players are in the top 10 of both the batting and bowling statistics.

The Golden Eagles have been led valiantly by not only the leadership of Deran Benta but his contribution with the bat and at one time with the ball. He has so far accumulated over 350 runs with a strike rate over 100 and batting average of 88 runs. No doubt he has been the team’s talisman. Notable contributions have been made throughout the team and it has assisted in their success. Essan Warner have contributed with both bat and ball while Anthony “I-roots” Martin, Kelvin Pitman and Tehrique Mason have done solely with the ball.

In the case of the Lions, Nino Henry led brilliantly during his short stint for the season due to regional duties. He didn’t get a bag of wickets like he would have normally done in previous seasons, but he led mainly with the bat this time around, scoring quick runs when needed. He was adjudged Player of Week One after his dynamic performances in those games. His team have however championed on without him and have never looked back after losing their first encounter.

But the likes of Ian Eusebe, Shavon Moore, Ishmael Peters and host have all came to the party when needed allowing the Lions to strengthen its roar. This match is poised to be a thrilling one that you will just need to be there to witness.

Different Season…Same Foe

For the past 10 years, the rivalry between Liberta Blackhawks and Empire Nation has never died and probably never will. The Blackhawks is the best cricketing team on island, it is a fact and they have more than enough trophies to show. They have dominated Empire year after year, season after season but Empire did beat them in the last Super 40 Final truth be told.

The precarious position both find themselves in is truly appalling and just show that cricket is one of the great humblers. Liberta Blackhawks lost their first three encounters in games which they should have won, yet found a way to lose, but won their last three games. Nation won their first two games, lost the two games after, then won the next game and lost their last. You just cant make this up.

It is quite obvious that whoever loses this encounter on Saturday is likely not to progress to the finals stage. It seems as if the Blackhawks have found their way since they have won their last three games. This has been made possible by the likes of Captain Kofi James, Karima Gore, Amahl Nathaniel and Avier Christian. If they did not contribute with the bat they would have contributed with the ball which indicates that these are the in-form players for the team.

The defending champions Empire Nation have had a very dismal performance in this year’s competition. Fittingly so, only one of their batsmen are in the top ten for batting statistics which explains why they have not reach the score of 200 in six games.

Their best player has been Cleton Payne (Former Liberta player) who have played some fighting knocks to the benefit of his team and followed up with the ball when called upon. Additionally, Kenrick Scott and Justin Athanaze just have not produced any great output knowing their potential.

Based on paper, Empire would beat Liberta in their encounter but based off current form Liberta has the upper hand. This will be a literal knockout game and who loses can safely say they are out of the competition.

Jennings, Pigotts & All Saints Troubles!

Jennings have played some very competitive cricket but have lost to the big teams like Liberta and Empire and will have to play good cricket to win their next two encounters. All Saints and Pigotts will not just rollover to allow them to go through. They will need to dig deep in order to win these two games.

D’ahri Francis is an absolute talent if looked after properly. He has been the best player for the team. He is their first choice wicketkeeper, a handy off-spinner and has the highest strike rate for batsmen with over 100 runs in 4 innings or more. Winston Nelson, Orlando Peters and Cameron Miller will need to be at their best to help the team to advance to the next stage

Pigotts Crushers are in similar circumstances when compared to Empire Nation and Liberta Blackhawks. They too are on 12 point and need to win their last three games but like we have been say earlier, they will have to earn their wins. They may say that they have an easy game against Bolans on Saturday but young quick Taiem Tonge can easily make their lives miserable. He has been expensive but has had a ridiculously good strike rate taking a wicket every two overs. Their next game will be against Jennings on Sunday who is just as desperate for a string of wins to help them to advance.

In order for them to progress through to the semifinals stage, they will need their captain, Elroy Francis Jr. to be at his best. He is their best player and needs to inspire his team. They have a pretty balance unit with seniors and young blood but they will need to fire on all cylinders in their last three games.

Finally, we make mention of the All Saint Pythons who have lost big games but won the others thus far. However, they will have a tough task ahead of them which will not be an easy feat to achieve. They will play hungry Lions, powerful Golden Eagles and desperate Jennings side. None of these teams are going to decide to play bad cricket now when it’s crunch time. It is highly unlikely. Don’t get me wrong, they can beat any team but they can also flop and flop badly. To add to this dilemma, their next games will be played away in unfamiliar territory which means the home teams will have the advantage.

They will more than likey be depending on the veterans in the team such as Kerry Mentore and Larry Joseph. These two have played at the highest levels in the region so no doubt they will be able to impact the games massively if they get going. The team is filled with talent but more often than not, it is the discipline of the youth that brings about their downfall. If the youngsters hold their own, they will win their games and progress to the next stage. Unlike the previous four teams we spoke about who need three wins from three games, Pythons need just two wins.

Conclusion

We wish we could tell you what would happen and predict this game of glorious uncertainties. We are just interested in good, clean cricket being played and that the players perform well so that they are selected to go on further and one day, represent the West Indies. Again, no one has booked a place in the semifinals just yet, but for sure whoever wins the Bethesda and New Winthorpes game certainly will. Stay tuned for more!

We chose a new PLAYER OF THE WEEK for games held on the 23rd & 24th Jan 2021. For his outstanding batting performance, we have declared DERAN BENTA of CUB BETHESDA GOLDEN EAGLES as this week’s PLAYER OF THE WEEK.

The captain scored a thrilling 172 runs from 102 balls to blast BOLANS BLASTERS back ah south and then followed up with a spirited unbeaten 63 from 65 balls after retiring hurt earlier in his innings to show EMPIRE NATION who really runs this nation.

We wish him continued success as the season progresses.

http://cricket268.com/player/deran-benta/

We named NINO HENRY of NEW WINTHORPES LIONS as our PLAYER OF THE WEEK 16th & 17 Jan 2021 for his outstanding batting performances on the weekend.

He scored a thrilling 63(29) vs SIC JENNINGS and then with a smashing 52 (33) sent the PIC LIBERTA BLACKHAWKS flying home. We want to wish him continued success as the season continues as he prepares for WICB Super 50 Tournament

http://cricket268.com/player/nino-henry-2/

The 2020 ACB Sir Curtly Ambrose Parish League Competition came to an abrupt end due to the Covid 19 Pandemic. Due to this, there was no winner declared but the Police Sports Club was leading the competition with Mahico Cricket Club following closely behind.

It was equally interesting that the final cricket game of the Antigua Cricket Season was between those two with Mahico coming up with the goods to beat the frontrunners.

However, there were some decent performances that we are highlighting and have chosen our team of the year. Daren Benta had a stellar season ending it with an average of 96.5 and an aggregate of 198 runs. But it was Jeron Jones who had the highest aggregate with 198 runs at an average of 39.60. We have chosen these two to open the batting.

Young batting allrounder, Omar Francis will bat at 3, since he has shown his ability to handle the position and score valuable runs. He managed to score two half-centuries in pressure situations which have shown his maturity as a batsman. PSC Opening Bat Damon Valentine will bat at 4 due to his ability to stick around or have the stackability to bat in tough conditions.

Veteran Mahico Batsman Daren Dunnah will bat at 5 to provide solidity to the batting line up. He is one of the best batters in the ACB Parish League Competition and has been for many years. The batsman finished the season with an average of 71.50 and an aggregate of 143 runs.

The team will be captained by Derek Mourillon who has led PSC valiantly in recent times. He has the ability to score very quickly and hits the ball a long way. He didn’t score a great deal of runs in the competition but finished with an average of 88 runs.

Position 7 and 8 will be taken by allrounders Dwaine Fordyce and Vincent Shadrach Jr. who have both been the top allrounders in the competition. Shadrach had an average of 44.75 with 179 runs while Fordyce had an average of 36.75 with 147 runs. In the bowling, Fordyce managed to collect 20 wickets at 6.50 apiece but Shadrach grabbed 19 wickets at 3.74 apiece. These statistics read well for these two allrounders.

The bowlers will complete the batting line up with spinners Clever Martin and James Cornelius with fast bowler Osafa Bourne. The 12th man is Jarel Phillip who has had a pretty decent season with bat and ball. The team is as follows:

Deran Benta (wkb) (Pigotts Sports Club)

Jeron Jones (Police Sports Club)

Omar Francis (Mahico Cricket Club)

Damon Valentine (Police Sports Club)

Daren Dunnah (Mahico Cricket Club)

Derek Mourillon (c) (Police Sports Club)

Dwaine Fordyce (Mahico Cricket Club)

Vincent Shadrach Jr. (Police Sports Club)

Clever Martin (Pigotts Sports Club)

Osafa Bourne (Newfields Sports Club)

James Cornelius (Police Sports Club)

Jarel Phillip (Newfield Sports Club) 12th Man

We selected the best team for the recently held ABCA T10 Splash tournament. It is a team that is well balanced with a mixture of batters who can not only hit the ball but rotate the strike and bowlers who can outfox with spin and blow away batting orders with some pace.

K. James will lead the team with D. Benta being his deputy. These two should also compliment each other at the top of the order as they can hit big sixes and rotate the strike equally. James will also play an integral part in the bowling unit, while Benta will take the gloves as expected.

National Under 19 Allrounder E. Warner will bat at 3. The youngster has shown his ability to bat well under pressure and take it to opposition bowling at will. He will be followed by National Allrounder O.Peters who will add some stability to the top order.

Allrounder J. Fernandez will bat at 5, followed by another big hitting Allrounder J. Drew. Additionally, Nino Henry will bat at 7 followed by the bowlers Bruney, M. James, Mason and Martin.

This team will be a strong output and is expected to represent Antigua well when they get ready to face Wakanda. We hope to see you there!

Kofi James (c) (PIC Liberta Blackhawks)

Deran Benta (wk) (CUB Golden Eagles)

Essan Warner (CUB Golden Eagles)

Orlando Peters (Jennings)

Jamaul Fernandez (New Winthorpes Lions)

Javier Drew (Pigotts Crushers)

Nino Henry (New Winthorpes Lions)

Isiah Amos Bruney (Rising Sun Spartans)

Miandre James (PIC Liberta Blackhawks)

Tehrique Mason (CUB Golden Eagles)

Anthony Martin (CUB Golden Eagles)

*Avier Christian (PIC Liberta Blackhawks) 12th Man

After the aerial onslaught from the Golden Eagles the night before, it seemed like the Lions were nothing but malnourished carcasses as they presented little fight when the Blackhawks joined the party.

Liberta had to watch the Eagles run amok of the Spartans, outplaying them in every possible department. Their batting was weak and so was their bowling. Having set a modest total of 52, the men from the east took no passengers as Essan Warner carried out the attack as planned. He batted with purpose and scored quickly as they romped home to victory with 5.4 overs to spare and 9 wickets in hand.

It meant that the Liberta Blackhawks had to not only win but win convincingly. The man for the big moment, Kofi James lambasted the hapless bowling of the New Winthorpes Lions to all parts of the ground. He showed his class above the rest as he raced to be the only batsman to score over 200 runs in the competition.

Blackhawks posted a challenging total of 111 to win with Kofi James scoring his 54 from 30 balls with USA’s Karima Gore supporting with 20 from 17. Jermaine Otto traded bat for ball by been the pick of bowlers with 1-15 from his two overs, while Lions served up a total of 33 extras.

In return, the Lions just got off immediately to a bad start by losing newly promoted Shavon Moore in the first over. Then wickets kept falling in quick succession with an ever-increasing required run rate. Marcus Francis provided some resistance with a well-played 24 off 14.

The Lions just didn’t look the part after their victory on Friday versus Rising Sun Spartans. We do not know if they got too full from that meal but they just were not ready for when the birds of the air came around. They tried all that they possibly could but they just could not cope.

Kofi James was awarded the Most Valuable Player for his tremendous all-round performance by leading in both wickets and runs while teammate Miandre James picked up Best Young Fast Bowler with the most wickets. The Best Young Batsman was Essan Warner who also dominated with both bat and ball.

It was an excellent tournament though quite interesting. However, we enjoyed it and are sure that man others do, We wish you a safe and prosperous holiday. See you soon!

This is the dilemma of the Blackhawks! The young guns from the countryside have played some really good cricket in the second round of matches.

Avier Christian has found form at the big stage and has been a key to the success of Blackhawks in this round of matches, picking up MOM in both encounters.

In their first match against Bethesda Golden Eagles, they did not have an easy meal. Setting Eagles 109 to win, Bethesda Captain Deran Benta belted a quick 51 from 24 balls who looked sure to take the game away.

However, in the final over needing 12 to win with Devon Thomas (40) seemingly back in some form, it appeared as if Eagles would have won but it was not to be so. That man again Christian removed Thomas with his second ball and won the game for his team by 8 runs.

In their second match against Spartans, they showed why they are the best team in the country with a strong performance as they posted 98 for 4 from their allotment with Avier Christian scoring 43 of those runs. Rising Sun not having their best batsman, Melvin Charles, went belly up in return with a mere 45 for 5. They were not ready for the aerial assault from the Blackhawks this round, despite beating them previously.

Two wins from two games mean that the Liberta team has not only won the most games but has a superior NRR which has been used to select the teams for the final round of matches.

We could be set for another evening filled with drama should Bethesda beat Spartans in a commanding performance. This will set up an interesting final game because losing to New Winthorpes will leave them at 8 points, which will take New Winthorpes to 8 points with Bethesda having the opportunity to join them at 8 points. If this happens, then two teams will feel hard done by the rule.

What Do Lions and Eagles Need To Win T10 Splash?

New Winthorpes played well versus Spartans even though many may say that they should not have won the game. Though they may be right too since the Spartans only had needed 5 runs from 4 balls. It was poor batsmanship that cost Spartans the game. But, plaudits must be given to Lions for holding their nerves to the end.

To beat Liberta, Lions will need to dismiss Avier Christian and frontrunner for MVP, Kofi James early and limit the flow of extras. If they can remove both, then they can run rampage of the Blackhawks nest as there are quite a few nursing chicks who have not shown their ability.

They will also need to bat very well. Bartlette Henry has batted brilliantly at the latter end of the tournament and if he gets support from the likes of Jamaul Fernandez, Jermaine Otto, Nino Henry, and Shavon Moore, they will be able to chase anything between 80 and 100 or set a target over 90.

In order for Golden Eagles to win, they will need to launch an unsuspecting aerial attack that the Spartans will not be able to change their strategy and tactics fast enough.

Another player that can also walk away with MVP is Deran Benta. The wicketkeeper-batsman who is rated as one of the best on the island has batted exceptionally well. He’s scored the most runs of this round thus far.

But, we must also mention National Under 19 Allrounder Essan Warner, whose batting has somewhat overtaken his bowling as the tournament winds down. He batted sensationally well with his captain Benta in their last match vs Lions.

The youngster got the license to play his shots and that he did. He showed the potential that everyone knows he has and credit to the team for moving him up the order. They chased down 91 in 7.1 overs which will play in their favor, come to another NRR situation.

For them to win the competition, they will need the Lions to make dinner of the Blackhawks which will be no easy feat. If possible, then Bethesda is likely to win the competition by NRR. Rising Sun is a good bowling unit but they will meet players who can change the game in a few balls.

Should Bethesda turn up this evening and play the game that they can play, there is a high possibility of them winning the tournament. They will need to bowl and bat very well. We will see how it goes from the stands. See you there!

We have been in and around the teams and also amongst the many fans at the tournament. We have heard mixed reviews about the tournament but at the end of the night, those same individuals were happy to see the teams compete especially when their team had done well.

Okay! So we are here! Second Stage! Who will win? We don’t know and cannot predict this one. However, we can assure you that it will be worth your $10 at the gate.

The reason for our view is that you literally cannot separate these four teams. They have all played 4 games, won 3 and lost 1. Am sure you probably have never seen this anywhere before. But you have seen it in this tournament. The teams are evenly matched with youth, skills, experience, and talent.

Each team has played to its strengths and at times have shown their vulnerabilities. They all have lost a game in which they just did not look the part. They just didn’t show up to play on the day. We saw this with Team Liberta against Rising Sun; Team Rising Sun against Jennings; Team Bethesda against Piggott. It shows that under pressure, these teams can buckle and lose ugly.

How The Teams Shape Up

In our opinion, the team that will be a handful is Liberta Blackhawks even though many may think they are currently a one-man team (Kofi James), due to his prolific run with both bat and ball. He is amongst the runs and wickets leading like a true leader.

The second team to watch is the Bethesda Golden Eagles. Their batsmen have not fired as many would have expected, more notably Devon ‘Boobie’ Thomas. He has struggled to free himself and has been below par which is unbelievable for a player of his caliber.

Rising Sun looks like a good bowling group and they have been possibly the most disciplined unit of the tournament regarding extras. The experienced Amos Isiah Bruney has been very effective with his right arm-off spin. He has been extremely tight with his line and length not giving anything away.

Finally, the New Winthorpes Lions will go into this round as the underdogs. This is due to many persons predicting Empire and Bethesda qualifying from Group Two. But they have played good cricket. They played all-round cricket by setting and chasing big totals compared to the other teams. Jamaul Fernandez’s all-around ability has been a factor for the Lions and their success at the next round depends on just that.

Players To Watch

Liberta Blackhawks – Kofi James- He has been their more most consistent player with the most runs and wickets for the team. He is a live wire in the field as well so should he get the opportunity to score, he may just end up as the tournament’s MVP.

The next player to look at is Miandre James who has bowled brilliantly using his height to good effect on the slow pitches at the stadium. He has been well spoken of by the commentators and has been tipped as a fast bowler for the future.

Bethesda Golden Eagles – Devon ‘Boobie’ Thomas has had an underwhelming performance so far but he can be compared to a dormant volcano. He is a classy player and should he get a wicket where the ball comes on nicely to the bat, he will be able to change the outlook of the Eagles.

In this format, the economy rate of bowlers is extremely important and Former West Indies Leg Spinner, Anthony Martin has shown his experience and skill to limit no more than 4 runs out of the overs he has bowled in the tournament. He will certainly be a handful for teams regardless of the pitch played on come game time.

Rising Sun Spartans – Melvin Charles is currently averaging 6 runs per innings but does not let this statistic fool you. A player that could quickly change the game due to his quick hand speed and hand-eye coordination. Should he come to the match prepared and free of mind, he can take apart some of the best bowling attacks in the tournament.

The easygoing, short diminutive figure of Amos Isiah Bruney makes many think he is just an average cricketer but is usually left dumbfounded by his consistent straight balls. He plays the game simple. He bowls straight, you play for a turn, you miss, he hits.

New Winthorpes Lions – Jamaul Fernandez is a solid all-round talent with the ability to hit big sixes and can swing the ball both ways along with cutters which have proven to be more than a handful for batters. If he clicks, chances are that New Winthorpes may upset a few teams.

The Leeward Islands Fast Bowler Nino Henry has had a bit of a hit and miss tournament but not to be taken for granted. He is another under-rated bowling allrounder who can bat and score quickly. He will need to bring out his A-game to help his team win the competition.

Playing Conditions

According to Accuweather, it should be a lovely weekend for cricket with little in the way of rain. Only one game has been drawn due to inclement weather so teams can play freely without the thought of rain.

The pitches have been pretty decent for both sides: batting and bowling. Batting – if the team applies itself and sticks to the plan to rotate the strike and put away bad balls when delivered. Bowling – if the team keeps it simple and bowl straight. Standing from the South Stand, the pitch to the west will be the most preferable for the batsmen as it is more conducive to strokeplay. However, the pitch to the east that was used recently is possibly a bit tired now but was generally two-paced.

Finally, the dew may play a factor as the combination of hot days and cold evenings has dropped quite a bit of dew on the field of play. It is important for teams to be equipped with dry cloths to address the issue of a wet ball or bowlers could find a hard time gripping and controlling the ball.

In summary, the teams that have played the best cricket are in the final stage and deservedly so. Will the Blackhawks take the food of the Golden Eagles or will the Golden Eagles rise to higher levels than the Blackhawks cannot rise too? Can the armor of the Spartans withstand the power and strength of the Lions or will the Lions lose their status as the King of the Jungle? It’s Cricket Lovely Cricket.

Well, we would like to apologize for the false statement made in the previous post. Therefore we took it down so that could be updated. Regardless of it all in the grand scheme of things we had a major upset.

Imagine waking up in the morning believing falsely that you had one foot in the final round, only to go to bed realizing that would not be a reality. Here is our take on the true Woottup! Boom! Bam! Out Ah de Stand Part 2.

New Winthorpes Lions vs Bolans Blasters

New Winthorpes knew that their situation was no different from that of Liberta Blackhawks. They not only needed to win, but they needed to win big. Fortunately for them, Bolans were not in a competitive mood as they were more interested in giving their players, especially the ladies, an opportunity to get some game time. Moreover, they actually fielded three ladies in the names of Sidella Bellot, Shawnisha Hector, and Tonya Martin.

Winning the toss, New Winthorpes elected to bat first and got a good start with the indiscipline bowling of Taeim Tonge who delivered 21 wides from his allotment. In fact, Bolans served up a total of 45 wides in the match, the most by any team thus far in the competition.

The Blasters gave a weak bowling display and Jamuel Fernandez happily smashed his highest total of the tournament with 58 off 26 balls with 3 fours and 5 sixes. He was ably supported by Shavon Moore who got 24 from 12 balls. Captain Martin Caesar was the pick of the bowlers with 2-0-14-1. New Winthorpes posted the highest total of the tournament with 137-2 in their 10 overs.

When the Lions took the field, they were on a roll from ball one, as Skipper Nino Henry picked up the first wicket with his first ball. The men and women from Bolans offered little to fight back like a hapless injured deer who could barely run: easy meal. They ended on 46-5 with Taeim Tonge being the only batsman to reach double figures with a score of 12 from 22 balls. Dishon Henry picked up 3-8 from his two overs while the other lions bowled economically.

In summary, Bolans Blasters forgot to bring gun powder to deal with the New Winthorpes Lions and ended up not firing at all in the entire tournament. The New Winthorpes Lions roared their way into first place of the second round with a dominating performance.

CUB Bethesda Golden Eagles vs Empire Nation

One of the best crowd turnouts of the weekdays was well entertained by two evenly matched teams with regards to talent, skill, and experience. An East vs West kinda vibes. It was a game that mattered for the Eagles as it would help them go to the second round and not so much for Empire as they were just playing for some pride.

Bethesda won the toss and took the field and applied pressure from the very first over of veteran leggie, Anthony Martin (1-6). The openers struggled to get the ball away with some good disciplined bowling. After Kenrick Scott was dismissed for a painstaking 6 from 13 balls, Justin Athanaze (31|2 fours and 2 sixes) Tyrone. Williams (26 | 3 fours) put on 53 to take Nation to a competitive total of 78-2 off 10 overs.

Needing only 7.9 an over, the Eagles lost a wicket on the very first ball of the innings bowled by Samuel Peters. However, there was 15 to 20 minute period of no play as Justin Athanaze had a difficult fall after taking the catch. He had to be taken away via ambulance to receive further treatment.

At the resumption of play, Samuel Peters gave the Eagles the start they needed with two consecutive wides. Then Omaley Heyliger playing in his first game, served up three more wides in his allotment to help the men from East cause. In fact of the needed 79 runs, Empire bowled 30 extras making the target easier for Bethesda.

Golden Eagles needed 7 from 6 in the last over and the duty was given to fast bowler Jahvaugh James who was able to bowl full and straight consistently not allowing the batsmen to free their arms. It was overfilled with lots of anxiousness for both teams. In the end, the game was tied with Eagles ending on 78-3 from 10 overs. However, Eagles won due to the countback rule. They scored 6 runs compared to Nation’s 4 runs. As a result, they won by 2 runs.

In summary, both teams competed well but unfortunately, Empire lost yet again in a tied game in the same tournament. This victory secured the last slot in the Round Two stage for Golden Eagles. It meant that Pigotts dreams of going to the second round were crushed by the men from east. This is the reason we were able to say that the remaining games in the first round had a lot of drama to come. So Piggots got the real Woottup! Boom! Bam! Out Ah de Stand!

The ABCA 10 Splash Tournament has been a breath of fresh air for supporters of local cricket. Thanks to the approval by the Ministry of Health and Sports, the competition has started off with great excitement.

After 16 games played, we have seen quite a bit of drama in the middle. Both fans and teams have been bemused at some of the rules for the competition due to some results.

So far we have seen some players return to form and others have flopped. With that being said, we have seen some dominating performances by top national players such as Kofi James, Orlando Peters, Stanny Simon, and others.

“Wah Cud Ah Cause Dis”

It is funny enough that the teams at the top leading both groups are the Spartans and the Crushers who many have claimed “already booked their semi-final spots” and both sport orange coloured uniforms. It would be quite interesting if both teams clash in the second round.

However, some interesting things can transpire for the next four games. Therefore, it is safe to say that no team has officially cemented a place in the second round, due to the head to head rules which could present a problem if 3 teams end up on 12 points somehow.

In Group A, Rising Sun are on 12 with one win away from booking a semi-final spot. However, Jennings and Liberta are on 8 points each from 3 outings. With Jennings and Spartans to clash and Liberta to face Combined Schools, we may see some dramatic turn of events in these last two games of the group.

A situation arises in Group B with Pigotts in first place on 12 points, registering 3 wins and one loss. But New Winthorpes Lions and Bethesda Golden Eagles are both on 8 points with 2 wins and a loss each, while Empire Nation is on 4 points with two losses and a win.

What is needed for these teams to advance to book a semi-final spot? ALOT! Here goes:

GROUP A

Rising Sun Spartans have won all the battles presented by their opponents. They have not been posed any real threat from the other teams. However, they might meet their match come Tuesday night. With Orlando Peters returning to form and leading the runs chart, he may be the man standing in their way from comfortably going over to the second round.

Spartans have been able to limit their opponents to small totals and easily chase them down. However, should Peters get the support that he got from D’ahri Francis in their previous encounter where the pair put on the first-century partnership of the tournament, it could set up an interesting climax to the group.

Liberta Blackhawks is expected to beat the Combined Schools. The Schools have had a rather lethargic approach to the competition that many are wondering why they are even trying. It has been some dismal performances from the group of students so far, not being able to score more than 50 runs in their recent outings.

The Blackhawks are expected to roll up on Tuesday afternoon and eat the schoolboys’ lunches with little trouble. Weather permitting, Liberta will move to 12 points and wait for the proceedings on the Jennings and Rising Sun match.

If Rising Sun loses to Jennings, then Jennings and Liberta will be on 12 points which will be a very unfortunate result for one team and it will not go down well with the supporters. Stay tuned.

GROUP B

Pigotts currently sit at the top of the charts, but due to their defeat in the last game to New Winthorpes Lions, should New Winthorpes Lions beat Bolans Blasters who have won no games from 3 outings, could see them move to second place. However, if New Winthorpes Lions somehow gets an upset then an opportunity is presented to the Empire Nation to book a place in the second round spot if they beat the Eagles.

This can all happen due to the rules of the competition. So if New Winthorpes Lions beat Bolans Blasters then they will join Pigotts on 12 points. In fact, 3 teams can all end up on 12 points and that would be very interesting. Should the Eagles beat Nation then they will also join New Winthorpes Lions and Pigotts Crushers on 12 points? However due to the head-to-head rules, since Bethesda Golden Eagles beat New Winthorpes Lions and New Winthorpes Lion beat Pigotts Crushers, we could see a possibility that other rules come into play such as Net Run Rate.

Another scenario that could play out, which is rather unlikely noting the forms of the teams involved in Group B is that of the chances of Empire Nation progressing. They will depend on Bolans to play their best game of the competition to beat the Lions. If this happens, then it will be a war between the men from the east and the men from the west. If Empire wins and Lions loses, then Empire will progress to the second round. But if Lions win, then it is more than likely over for Empire even if they beat Bethesda.

If there is a possibility that Bethesda beats Empire and New Withorpes Lions beat Bolans then the same scenario could play out in Group B as in Group A, with rules other than the head to head coming into play. Interesting games ahead!

All we can say is to go out and support your team and see who will progress to the next stage. Hope to see you there.