Bahrain: Cricket Fever Grips Ladies at 'More' Kudlotsava 2008
from Ronald D’Souza and Joe Andrade
for Daijiworld Media Network - Bahrain (GA)
Bahrain, Feb 19: The Indian Mega Festival – “More” Kudlotsava took off this evening at the Indian Club premises with the commencement of a three-day 7-a-side six-over limited Ladies Cricket tournament organized by Anand Lobo of M/s Lobo International in association with Petals International Trading on Monday February 18 evening.
The Tournament commenced with the release of colourful balloons simultaneously by Florine Mathias, the chief guest, along with the ladies participating in the tournament sporting orange-coloured T-shirts. A total of six teams are pitted against each other in this league tournament and the schedule drawn and spread out as under.
On 18.02.2008:
I Match: 8.30 pm Team Indian Club A vs Team Kannada Sangha
II Match: 9.15 pm Team Indian Club B vs Team Bunts Bahrain
III Match: 10.00 pm Team Indian Club A vs Team Lovely Friends
On 19.02.2008:
I Match: 8.30 pm Team Kannada Sangha vs Team Lovely Friends
II Match: 9.15 pm Team Lobo’s International vs Team Bunts Bahrain
III Match: 10.00 pm Team Lobo’s International vs Indian Club B
On 20.02.2008:
1st Semi-final: 8.30 pm Winners Group A1 vs Winners Group B2
2nd Semi-final 9.15 pm Winners Group B1 vs Winners Group A2
Final Match: 10.00 pm between Winners of 1st and 2nd Semi-finals.
In the first match on Monday, Team Indian Club A captained by Hema won. The second match saw Team Bunts Bahrain captained by Suja win. In the final match of the day the Team Lovely Friends captained by Janet triumphed.
The highlights of the matches are attractive sponsored prizes for the best cricketer Woman-of-the-Match for each match, the most Sixer Lady-Blaster, Best Lady Bowler and Best Lady Batsman and the ultimate, best overall Lady Cricketer for whom a Cyprus-return ticket has been assured.
It was fun and frolic all the way on and off the field, to watch the familiar and not-so-familiar cricketing ladies engrossed in the game of cricket. The supporting fans of each team were indeed thrilled if not amused to watch over 40 catches dropped that one would have thought a consolation prize for the most dropped catches would be squarely justified!
The bowling was unique, if there was “Doosra” bowled that we know, there were “Theesra’s” that knocked off some precious wickets! Run-outs were a plenty and the keeping firm with some caught-behinds! Strangely there was not one LBW or Hit-wicket or stumping noted! A lot of no-balls, wides wider than ever and dead balls were the hallmark of the lady bowlers all adding to the immense fun, cheer and exciting commotion from their admirers and well-wishers. There were plenty of boundaries by way of fours and the sole full-throttle lofted six of the day to the long-off fence came from the expert bat of Wilma of the Lovely Friends Team.
Expert commentators Anand Lobo and Amarnath Rai encouragingly kept the players on the field going and dragged practically all those off-the-field with running commentary laced with a good sense of humour.
Several sponsors for this Indian Mega Festival Kudlotsava event included More International Calling Cards, Damas, KIMS Bahrain Medical Centre, Kairali, Airindia, International Printing Press, Al Safeer Advertisers, BMMI, Chako who made their presence felt by the banners displayed or their representatives.
There is more cricketing fun anticipated on February 19 and 20 and it would be a thrill to watch. The grand finale is a day-long Throw-ball competition and Cultural Show to be held on Friday February 22 as announced in an earlier bulletin.