The underdogs must show up big in the Super Eight

Aug 25, 2011 Sports

Kares Engineering/Bushy Park Sawmills 10/10 tapeball cricket

By Edison Jefford
As was indicated yesterday when we looked at two of the more formidable teams in the Super-Eight round of the nationwide Kares Engineering/Bushy Park Sawmills 10/10 tapeball cricket competition, in any sport there is always scope for upsets.
While Albion and Pitbulls may very well be the two strongest teams in the competition, a one-million dollar first place prize is enough money to motivate any team that has made it this far in the competition to come up big when it matters.

Troy Gonsalves

This weekend it will matter when eight of the best tapeball teams from across Guyana play for places in the Final Four of the Kares Engineering/Bushy Park Sawmills tournament. There could not have been a better platform for big performances.
On Sunday, the East Bank-based Firelinks team easily walked into the Super Eight round when they visited the Wisroc Ground in Linden. Little is known about this team, but judging from their demeanour, they are a serious bunch of cricketers.
You know the old saying that suggests ‘first appearance matters’, well, it was obvious that those neatly clad young men in orange and blue with the name Firelinks emblazoned on their backs are serious about making an impact in this mega tournament.
Their discipline spoke for itself and one expects that they will be a serious contender, as perhaps all the other teams, for the coveted 2011 title. They cannot be taken for granted. All the teams are going to know their opposition when the fixtures are out today.
Another side to watch in the tournament is the Dyna’s Bavados. They are a mixture of youth and experience and will certainly be a threat this weekend. Unlike Albion and Pitbulls, which boast a host of big names, Bavados is about grassroots cricketing skills.
The experience of Harold Baboolall comes to the fore in the leadership of this side, which as was said before, balances experience and youth. On the youthful side, the bat of Troy Gonsalves must do a lot of talking to overcome what will surely be a challenge.
In addition, all-rounder, Sheim Gittens, who is a regular face in the Newline Cavaliers T20 team along with Antonio Ifill, Nigel Estrido and Mervin Vyphuis will be looking to add their worth to the Bavados team for a Final Four berth in the tournament.
Speaking with Kaieteur Sport yesterday, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kares Engineering and Bushy Park Sawmills, Radesh Rameshwar, believes the tournament is set for an “exciting” and “thrilling” finish with all the teams ready for the challenge.
“The Super Eight, the Final Four and the Final of the tournament will be huge. It will be rather exciting and thrilling to see which teams make it through to the ultimate challenge on September 4, which is when we seal things off in a major way,” Rameshwar said.
He added that all systems are being put in place from security to ticketing to various other forms of managing the event to make it a truly one-of-a-kind experience. The Kares Engineering/Bushy Park Sawmills 10/10 tournament is the biggest tapeball contest in Guyana.
Tournament Coordinator, Orlando James, agreed with Rameshwar and stated that there is not an iota of a doubt that the remaining days of the tournament will be nothing short of action-packed and filled with rivalry as the best teams converge in Georgetown this weekend.
Apart from the $1M first place prize, the runner-up in the male category, following the final at the National Stadium, will pocket $500,000. The winning female team get $500,000 while the male and female most valuable players will ride away with scooters.