Development Bank Tape Ball Cricket League dominated by Pennyless All Stars
Charlestown, Nevis — The 2013 edition of the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis/Nevis Department of Youth and Sports Tape Ball Cricket League came to a conclusion on Thursday evening (January 23), with Pennyless All Stars Male and Female teams taking the top honours.
Mr Curtis Morton, organiser of the league, thanked the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis for accepting to sponsor the league at a short notice when approached last year. He explained it could not have concluded last year, as was the original plan, due to the nature of the festive month of December.
The finals for female and male teams were played at the Elquemedo T. Willett Park in Charlestown, where Pennyless All Stars Female Team faced the Rozel’s Team in the first of the two finals.
Summarised scores were Rozel’s Team made 61 for 8 with Melissa Clarke making 30, extras 20; Kel Williams 3 for 7 and Kerisha Powell 2 for 5.
In reply, Pennyless All Stars were 63 for 6 in 8.3 overs with Kel Williams scoring 12, Kerisha Powell 10 and Tasha Forrester 10; Z. Liburd had 3 for 7 and Rozel Liburd 2 for 8. Pennyless All Stars Females won by four wickets.
In the much anticipated game two of the evening, Pennyless All Stars Males defeated surprise finalists, Rawlins Bush Wackers, by 49 runs.
Summarised scores: Pennyless All Stars 113 for 5 from 10 overs, with Stuart Williams making 33, Saeed Williams 25 and Akito Willett 19; and in bowling Webbe had 2 for 40; Leslie Huggins 1 for 18.
In reply Rwalins Bush Wackers made 64 for 9 from 10 overs, with Carlon Smithen making 24. In bowling, Tonito Willett was 2 for 2; Ravindra Balgobin 2 for 10; Jason Campbell 2 for 12; and Gerard Charles 1 for 9.
Ms Hyacinth Pemberton, Acting Manager Nevis Branch of the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, who made presentation of cheques to the winners congratulated the Department of Youth and Sports for organising the successful league and the dedicated players.
“The Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis not only plays the role of a lender, but we have revealed on many occasions that we care about our communities,” said Ms Pemberton, who was accompanied by Ms Damella Dalton the Bank’s Archivist/Input Officer. “We are playing an integral part in the development of education, sports, other national events at the grassroots level, and the continued empowerment of our citizens in all spheres of life.
“The Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis is proud to have been a major sponsor of this event and it is our hope that from the seed sown through this sponsorship that Nevis will continue on its glorious path in the world of cricket where it has been a trailblazer since the days of Elquemedo Willett, whose name adorns this sporting facility.”
Permanent Secretary Ministry of Social Development, Youth and Sports in the Nevis Island Administration, Mr Keith Glasgow, while he made brief remarks said his Ministry was pleased to be organising the event as Nevis has a very strong cricketing culture.
“I realise the manager of the Development Bank referred to Elquemedo Tonito Willett, who was a trailblazer, and I want to say to all of you, I do not want Nevis’ cricketing culture just to be in the history books,” said Mr Glasgow.
“I want Nevis to have an enduring cricketing culture and so therefore, I wish to use this opportunity to commend all of the teams that would have participated in this tournament.”
Other awards went to SDA Jets for the third place in the male competition and Alex Stars for the third place in the female competition. Male MVP was Tonito Willett, the only player who scored a century in the league, and the female MVP was his sibling, Senaldo Willett.
Both Tonito and Senaldo received cash prizes for returning the best scores with the bat for male and female respectively, while Ravindra Balgobin was the best bowler in the males’ competition and Kel Williams was the best bowler in the females’ competition.