The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

IN an effort to increase the local profile and attract a new generation of enthusiasts to the sport, the Bahamas Cricket Association hosted the second edition of one of the newest initiatives on its calendar.

The Pacesetters took the top overall prize with a first place finish at the second KFC Nassau Sixes Tournament over the Labour Day holiday weekend.

The winners batted first and scored a total of 66 runs. Ryan Tappin was the top batter with 19. St Agnes were unable to top their score and were all bowled out.

Other participating teams included St George's, Police, Westerns and Lions.

Preliminary matches were played at Windsor Park with the playoffs and championship match at Haynes Oval, West Bay Street.

Along with the championship trophy and this year's bragging rights, the Pacesetters claimed the $1,500 purse for the winners while St Agnes received $1,000 as runners-up. The Police took third place and $500.

In addition, cash prizes were given to the player with the most runs and most wickets.

KFC returned as the title sponsor. "KFC Nassau is delighted to once again be a sponsor of the BCA's 2017 'Nassau Sixes' Cricket Tournament. The KFC brand has supported the sport of cricket for many countries such as Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and other countries, which makes the KFC Nassau brand proud to also share our support of the sport in the Bahamas.

"As we celebrate our 50th Anniversary in Nassau we focus on how sport, including cricket, builds community and fosters relationships that help move our country forward. We look forward to the great collaboration with the BCA and the success of this year's tournament," the organisation said in a press release.

In previous interviews with The Tribune, cricket enthusiast Paul Thompson said the BCA continues to move toward youth development.

The International Cricket Council has appointed Theo Cuffy to develop the Bahamas' junior national team programme and he has been working with the programme since April.

The programme 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 in 2016.

In their latest major event on the BCA calendar, the Bahamas finished second to Guyana in the NAGICO T20 event last May.