Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 7, 2018 (DBSKN) — New developments have recently taken place in the now hugely popular Keeth Arthurton T20 Tournament taking place at the Conaree cricket grounds. The latest development saw league leaders Molineux/Cayon stunned by Newtown United Cricket Club in round one playoffs on Sunday December 2.
Newtown United Cricket Club beat Molineux/Cayon by five runs in a nail-biting game and the team has as a result assured itself of a place in the finals that will be played on Sunday December 9.
Having been beaten in the playoffs last Sunday was not the end of the road for Molineux/Cayon. The fact that the team was leading in league standings, it has the proverbial second bite at the cherry as it will on Saturday December 8 face off with Sandy Point to determine which team meets Newtown United on the finals.
In the first playoff game on Sunday December 2, Sandy Point had beaten Young Guns by 35 runs. Young Guns were eliminated and Sandy Point was almost assured of a slot in the finals but that was not to be, after league leaders suffered a stunning defeat.
Sandy Point therefore has another hurdle to clear as the team will have to face Molineux/Cayon on Saturday December 8. Winner of that second tier playoff will meet Newtown United on Sunday December 9 to determine the overall 2018 champion.
The other notable development in the Keeth Arthurton T20 Tournament is the injection of a handsome sponsorship package by the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis. It is a bank that is well known for lending a helping hand to the overall development of cricket in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Following the acceptance of the EC$20,000 sponsorship cheque by President of the St. Kitts Cricket Association Mr Dennis Phillip, and the Vice President Mr Charles Morton, from the Development Bank’s Marketing Officer Ms Vernitha Maynard recently, the tournament has been officially rebranded.
“We want to thank the Development Bank for the intervention and assisting us with such a meaningful amount,” said Mr Dennis Phillip. According to the President of the St. Kitts Cricket Association, the tournament is now known as the Development Bank Keeth Arthurton T20 Tournament.
Thanking the CEO of the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, Mr Lenworth Harris, himself a former national cricketer, the President said the funds will go a long way in helping not just the tournament, but will also assist with the development of rural cricket in St. Kitts.
“That may take us a while to get to develop it but we are on target for doing that,” said Mr Phillip. “We have programmes in place where we involve teams from the rural areas, Sandy Point, Molineux, Cayon, Hayne Smith etc. It is a work in progress and probably within a year, two years we may be able to expand the programmes into the rural areas in terms of training and the other venues outside of Basseterre.”
The President of the St. Kitts Cricket Association added: “Right now we are concentrated in Conaree where the tournament is held and that has been a success. We are hoping to see it grow from strength to strength.”
Conaree cricket grounds will be the centre of attraction Saturday December 8 as Molineux/Cayon face off with Sandy Point for a place in the finals. This will climax on Sunday December 9 when Newtown United will meet, in the finals, the winner of the second tier playoff game between Molineux/Cayon and Sandy Point.