This weeks cricket in Bali

Everything is in readiness for the season grand final between Nick Blackbeards, Sidakarya Lubaks and Soni Hawoes Udayana cricket club side. Noteably the Udayana team was previously known as Jimbaran but has undergone a transplant in reaction to strong support from players for the same.

The game should be an intense struggle over 50 overs per side at the Bukit oval on Sunday 22nd starting at 10.am sharp

In a warmup social game last Sunday Nick Blackbeard claimed both the wickets of Soni and Alan Wilson and was heard to comment after the game that they will be easy meat in the final. However Soni retorted by knocking Nicks stumps out of the ground when the latters turn came to bat. Pitch preparation is intense at present with a new roller arriving from Surabaya and Ray Elliot attending to the said duties with the assistance of his ground staff.

Recent action from the Bali senior competition Photo © ICC

School comps continued during the week with primary 2 a notching another win to lead the Sidakarya zone while primary 4 Sidakarya beat primary 9 to move to equal 2nd. On the Udayana side of the airport primary 9 Kendongonan hit the front from primary 5 Jimbaran with primary 1 Jimbaran and primary 3 Tuban bringing up the rear. The high school comp included a sensational tie between high school 1 Kuta (pak Bawa) and Sunari (pak Saadi) at the Bukit. Sunari scored 112 from 25 overs and amidst great excitement the last Kuta wicket fell in the 23rd over when Urip held a one handed catch, with the scores level. Girls screamed, ducks flew and believe me these kids are now right into their cricket. Urip had a big game scoring 32 and taking 3 wickets for Sunari. Adi Wiranjaya got 34 for Kuta 1 to challenge Deni Muliano from Angkasa as the leading junior player in the high school comp.

From the junior competition Photo © ICC

Earlier senior high 5 (Pak Artha) beat the Bravehearts by 44 runs to be equal comp leaders with Angkasa who beat high 6 Sesetan by 106 runs on Saturday. All in all a great week , with 8 primary schools and 6 high schools continuing regular comp. We'll get some great juniors out of this lot. You have only got to watch Suda Arsa running into bowl now or Putra Dermawan throw from the boundary to see athletes in action-still in formative years-but thes kids actually listen to what you tell themand because they have less sidetracks than the western worldcould lead Bali into a period comparable to Barbados in the 50s when West Indies cricket caught fire. Still shortage of pitches, and the older generation are much harder to convert but certainly with the injection of some media coverage in the future this place has real potential for cricket.