Argentina

Senior cricket flexed its muscles in Argentina this month. The national team dealt out a cricketing lesson to an international representative X1 during a one-day match and some nail-biting finishes amid high drama and heavy run-scoring featured in the domestic fixtures. The occasion of Argentina versus the Argentine Cricket Association X1 is a keenly anticipated moment on the cricket calendar. The ACA team, comprised of the best Trinidad players participating in the Carcamanes Festival, a couple of visiting English players, as well as "local" expatriates filling in the gaps, was no match for hyped-up Argentina. Domestic cricket has had plenty of highlights (Donny Forrester smashing 109 in a rain-reduced 35 over match against Hurlingham at Belgrano for one) and all four 1st Division clubs have registered good wins.

Most enjoyable was the staging of the Carcamanes Festival, a tournament for Over 40s, held March 6th to 11th. All four premier Argentine grounds featured - Belgrano, Hurlingham, Longchamps and Corimayo. Two guest umpires (Dudley Eckworth from England and Guyanese-born Ashook Brijcoomar from Canada) officiated alongside qualified local umpires. The teams participating were: Botswana Bushmen (Botswana); Gamecox Gauchos (England); Kookaburra CC (Australia); Trinidad Caribs (Trinidad & Tobago); North Wolves (Argentina); and South Bulls (Argentina).

The bones may have been weary after a week of cricket (and many of the international visitors were off sight-seeing thereafter) but terrific friendships were formed under the late summer Argentine sun. All matches were conducted in excellent spirit and hats off to Kookaburra CC as their average age was about 20 years older than the other teams!