The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ANOTHER event in its series celebrating 40 years of Independence, the Bahamas Cricket Association is preparing to host a Twenty-20 event and produce a publication to generate local interest in the sport.

Paul Thompson, chairman of the BCA organising committee, said the tournament in conjunction with the magazine will give the country a greater appreciation.

“The BCA will continue its celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Independence of the Bahamas with another cricket event and the publication of a commemorative magazine on cricket in the Bahamas,” he said.

“The magazine is being prepared for publication. It will contain photographs of the Bahamas national team champions of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Americas Division II tournament played here in February 2013, scores from all of the matches played by the Bahamas, some history and photographs of cricket played here over the past decade. Merchants, business establishments and individuals are being asked to contribute to the event by purchasing advertisements in the magazine.

The Twenty-20 tournament is scheduled for June 7-9 in New Providence during the Labour Day holiday weekend. Matches are set to be played at Haynes Oval and Windsor Park, with the finals being played at Haynes Oval. There will be cash prizes for first, second and third place teams and outstanding performances.

“The BCA has selected 40 persons for awards which will be presented on the final day of the tournament at Haynes Oval on June 9,” Thompson said. “Included among the awardees are sponsors over the past decades, past presidents and other administrators, officials, umpires/scorers and players. It is expected to be a festive weekend of cricket with many of the old cricketers in attendance along with the many cricket fans. The BCA plans to entertain with music and a dance team presently engaged in league competition will participate in this prestigious Independence Cricket Tournament.”

Thompson said the BCA continues to benefit from the youth initiative it took years ago by hiring an international cricket coach from England to take the game into the country’s schools.

The coach was able to make contact with 26 primary schools in Nassau, seven in Grand Bahama and one in Bimini, where Kwik Cricket was introduced to the young boys and girls.

A total of 13,600 school children were involved in that scheme. Out of that programme, the BCA was able to start an under-15 and under-13 league with four teams in each competition, with the under-15s playing with a hard ball. The under-19 team was also developed with plans in place to sustain the game for years to come.

Many of those team members also advanced to the senior level and participated in the aforementioned Americas Division II tournament hosted in the Bahamas this year.