Atlantic cricket opens with thriller

A NAIL-BITING one-run win by reigning primary school cricket champions Montrose Government over rivals Rochard Douglas Presbyterian in an exhibition match launched the 2018 Atlantic National Primary Schools Cricket League on Friday night in Barrackpore.

Montrose Government batted first and scored 104 for three in their 15 overs. Rochard Douglas never backed down from the challenger and needed two runs to win off the last ball but were unable to get them, closing on 103 for five. .

Anil Seunath, Branding Officer, Atlantic, said the opening exhibition match showed “down-to-the-wire” action because of the work of the coaches in honing the skills of the players.

“We believe that primary school cricket this season is going to show an even higher level of play, because of the input in recent years by Cricket Australia in certifying primary school coaches in the ACE (Atlantic Coaching Excellence) programme,” Seunath said.

Brent Francis, president of the Primary School Cricket League, said that the match was very competitive and augured well for the coming season.

“You could not ask for a better exhibition match,” Francis said. “We saw a great display of batting and bowling skills from both teams.”

West Indies leg-spinner and Rochard Douglas Presbyterian alumnus, Samuel Badree, was on hand to share an inspirational moment with the boys before game play.

Games will begin in the Boys and Girls Inter-School Competition and run until May 19. The leading schools will then advance to the National Play-Offs, which will run from May 21 until May 29. The top scoring schools will then advance to the Quarter-Finals, which are scheduled to begin on June 5.