Cricket Action is Back in River Valley

Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. The cricket pitch in Bermudian Landing came alive on Saturday for the Belize National Cricket Association’s Annual Marathon. Area Representative for Belize Rural North, Marconi Lead Junior, was present at the opening ceremony, as was Minister of State in the Ministry of Sports, Devin Daly. Leal handed over ten thousand dollars to support the association’s efforts, while both him and Daly participated in the ceremonial first pitch to kick off the marathon. Daly, an experienced basketball player, pitched like he has been practicing his throw, while Leal was able to connect ball to bat. We spoke with newly elected President of the Belize National Cricket Association, Dwight Gabb, about the upcoming season set to begin this weekend.

 

Dwight Gabb, President, B.N.C.A.

“We are looking at a revamp of the season, because it will be short. We are trying to make maximum use of the weather. Last year we were inundated with water and we had issues completing the season. So we are going to revamp the season and change the format so we can have a completion of this year. I have been involved in cricket for years. I have been in the executive position before. So I have some knowledge. I was up to vice president as one point and I took a step back, but I was still involved as an umpire. I formed part of the dispute committee and appeals committee. I was chair of both those committees. I finished my degree in sports leadership and manager from the university of West Indies. I said I can contribute to further development of cricket and try to elevate cricket to the next level. It will take a lot of commitment, finance. My vision is to have one of those IPL teams come to Belize and play. We need venues. We need training, and finance as I said. Without that, and a serious commitment form the government, especially in sports, and all sports. I encourage the government to elevate all sports in Belize.”

 

A total of eight teams participated in the marathon. Double Head Cabbage Armstrong won first place, while the Bermudian Landing Summer Fever secured second place. Third place went to Surprise from Lemonal, while the Belize Defense Force team finished in the fourth position. And from the cricket pitch we move to the basket court for the Ahmadiyya Basketball Tournament.

 

Its playoff time for Ahmadiyya basketball. Tonight, we bring you highlights from the playoff match between two under twenty-two teams. They are the Dream Chasers and Maya Men. This one was hotly contested folks. Both teams scored thirteen points in the first quarter. Number nine for Dream Chasers dominated his team, from the start of the game, while the other end of the court saw their number seven leading the charge and putting up critical points. But, after that first quarter break, Maya Men came out firing on all cylinders, led by a couple three pointers from their players wearing number eleven and seven jerseys. They scored a total of twenty-two points in the second quarter and held Dream Chasers to fourteen. At the end of the first half, Dream Chasers had twenty-seven points, while Maya Men had thirty-five points. Well, after the half time break, Dream Chasers returned to the court with renewed energy. They made a total of seventeen points in the third quarter, while holding their opponents to thirteen points. Dream Chasers were able to cut the lead down to three points, placing victory in their reach. The fourth quarter was the most decisive of them all. Both teams left heart and soul on the basketball court. Dream Chasers needed to pull off a dominant basketball display to recover from their deficit and win this one. But they were only able to secure ten points, the least of all four quarters. Their opponents, Maya Men, had its second-best scoring quarter in the game with fifteen points. In the end, Maya Men came out on top with sixty-two points to the Dream Chasers’ fifty-two points. The Ahmadiyya Basketball playoffs continue next week as the season quickly comes to an end. Well folks, that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one.