Bahamas: Bahamian season in review

The season opened in March with the G S Isaacs KO 40 overs competition which T-Bird Cricket Club won by defeating Superstars Cricket Club (formerly Westerns CC) in the final. T-Birds CC scored 178 runs but Superstars were bowled out for 169 runs finishing 9 runs short of victory.

In the League Championship Paradise Cricket Club were top of the League after the first round of matches with Police Cricket Club, St Agnes Cricket Club & T-Bird Cricket Club close behind, the crucial match being the last match of the series when Paradise CC defeated the Police CC.

In the second round of matches the Police CC pulled clear of Paradise CC when they defeated them in the penultimate match of the series. St Agnes CC jumped into second place with T-Bird CC and Paradise CC joint third. Superstars CC did well by winning some unexpected matches (eg against the Police CC) and Commonwealth CC although losing all their matches some of them were quite close (eg a margin of 11 runs against St Agnes CC).

Final Table

Played   Won     Lost  No Result Points
Police CC  10 8 2 -   16
St Agnes CC  10 6 4 -         12
Paradise CC  10 5 4 1      11
T-Bird CC  10 5 4 1   11
Superstars CC  10 5 5 -   10
Commonwealth CC  10 0      10 -          0

The East versus West New Providence Annual 2 day cricket match ended in an easy win for the West who won by 9 wickets in the second innings. The East batted first and scored 126 (Ralston Myles 32, Gasher Blair 28, Paul Palmer 2 for 22) and the West then scored 187 with Cliff Atkinson scoring 73 runs and Gary Armstrong taking 3 wickets for 33 runs. The East then batted again and were dismissed for 118 runs with Gasher Blair and Gary Armstrong both scoring 25 runs each and Gary Campbell taking 3 wickets for 32 runs. This left the West requiring 58 runs to win which they scored for the loss of one wicket.

The single wicket competition was won by Teddy Grazette of Paradise CC who defeated the much fancied and winner of the previous challenge Gary Campbell of Police CC. Connie Robertson ( Proprietor of the Cricket Club Bar & Restaurant) kindly donated the prizes.

The final competition of the season was the Archdeacon Thompson Memorial KO. The final was between Paradise CC and St Agnes CC but unfortunately was not completed and will be replayed at the beginning of next season in March 2001. In one of the matches Cliff Atkinson (Superstars CC) scored 143 off only 13 overs including 30 runs in one 6 ball over.

A team from the South Florida Cricket Association Caribbean United Cultural Club visited the Bahamas on the 9th & 10th September and played 2 matches, one against a Bahamas Select XI and the other against Paradise CC. Their players included the captain of the USA Cricket team Raymond Denny and Charles Reid a member of the US team. On Saturday the Bahamas Select XI won a close encounter with Gasher Blair of the Police CC leading the team home.

A pleasing note during the season was the introduction of a number of young players into the League Edmund Lewis Jnr (Police CC) Calvin Neita and Derek Gittings (St Agnes CC) and 14 year old Marlow Burrell ( Superstars CC)

A special thanks to the umpires especially Rob "Dicky Bird" Thomas and Dave Toney who assisted in many matches and also a very special thanks to the official Association scorer Sam Springer. We must not forget the scoreboard operator Orlando who took over from the late Kelly so loved by everyone. Last but not least we thank Paul "Mr Cricket" Thompson who does so much to get the teams onto the pitch and arranging matters and umpiring and match refereeing as well as Chris "Groundsman" Brown.

Finally the saddest part of the season was when one of our Board members and fervent supporters the Archdeacon Thompson was robbed at his rectory and fatally shot defending his wife. A sad loss to Bahamian cricket, to his family and to the local community but he is joining that illustrious team of cricketers in heaven Malcolm Marshall, Roy Fredericks, Colin Cowdrey etc and the topic will be the great game of cricket.