Charity Cricket Matches is the name given to a series of T20 cricket matches organised by the Montserrat Utilities Limited (MUL). In the beginning the MUL cricket team intended to continue the series of Charity Matches against firstly local celebrities and secondly returning Montserratians during the of St. Patrick’s Week of Activities.
Financial Controller, Duleep Cheddie of Montserrat Utilities Ltd. (MUL) is the organizer of the matches while Mr. David Thompson, Managing Director of MUL, like several others participating in the matches and leading the various teams, explained the purpose of the fun matches.
The Montserrat Reporter on advice that the matches had already begun to take place visited the Little Bay playing field on Sunday, January 31 and witnessed two teams, the Premier’s XI play against the MUL team.
Our young trainee reporter spoke to Manager David Thompson: “…cricket is a great game – that’s the starting point,” he explains. “It’s a bit of team building, a bit of moral help, and support for the team members of MUL,” he said.
He pointed out that the particular game being played against the Premier’s eleven, saying, “we’re raising money for the Premier’s choice this time around, that’s Golden Years home.”
He hoped that people are watching, enjoying the match, buying a bit of food “enjoying themselves and give a contribution which we will gather together and give to the Golden Years home.”
Thompson continued by saying that the season has finished and they are arranging a series of non-league matches – friendly matches against a range of opposition and, “we’re allowing the opposition to choose which charity they would like to donate too.”
Premier Romeo who played in the match told us that he played cricket while at MSS before he gave it up for basketball. He said this was not his first match as he and Leader of the Opposition Reuben T Meade played. “That was the Opposition Leader’s team with myself,” he said. “We played together, actually both of us opened bat against MUL, but MUL beat us badly. That time we raised several thousand dollars.”
This time in the absence of Meade he was represented on the Premier’s XI by Derrick Lee who confirmed, “I’m representing the Premier Office in the place of Reuben T. Meade; he would have been playing on this side. Because he’s unavailable he asked me to take his place.”
An elated MUL’s Jack Ryan also noted that his team is playing the Premier’s team, which was selected by him. His team narrowly edged out the Premier’s team. He said: “The whole experience was very good,” pointing out, “this whole thing is played with a view to raise for a charity which is Meals on Wheels.” Ryan noted that, “…meals are transported to vulnerable persons who can’t afford proper meals so to speak.”
Star of the day was Access Coordinator David ‘Trixie’ Duberry, playing for the Premier’s team scoring 76 which was just not good enough to overhaul the MUL’s score of 154 in 20 overs.
Duberry looked outstanding at the crease, hitting several boundaries which he cleared several times, scoring 6s. He admitted, “I’ve been playing for quite a while. This is my second game in about two years so it’s good to be back,” explaining, “I played for Montserrat and I played some cricket in England as well so I’ve played good level cricket before.”
He acknowledged the efforts of “the planning done by Mr. (Duleep) Cheddie – he organizes it and I think between them they decide which organization they could consider as a charity.”
Chief organiserDuleep Cheddie confirmed that each of the competing teams which vary: Hon Reuben Meade, Leader of the Opposition XI, Hon Paul Lewis (Minister of Coms and Works) XI, Basil Chambers All Starts XI and Hon. Premier’s XI, compete on select Sundays at Little Bay Playing Field in matches beginning at 2.00 p.m.
The matches have been organised with support from the Montserrat Cricket Association regarding the grounds and other aspects of the game; They are to also assist as follows: Donate $1.00 from the proceeds of sale of each beverage for charity; and $1.00 from the proceeds of sale of each serving of food for charity
After this month two matches will be played during the of St. Patrick’s Week of Activities, against a team comprising of returning Montserratians, captained by the Hon. Claude Hogan (Minister of Agriculture.
Premier Romeo hints to our trainee Reporter: “Prime Minister of Antigua has already agreed to come play in a match here, probably on Easter Monday.”
The following is a tentative schedule of matches. The named team is gets to name the charity of their choice.
Sunday 31st January 2016 –
Hon. Premier’s X1;
Sunday 7th February 2016
Hon. Leader of the Opposition X1
Sunday 21st February 2016
Hon. Paul Lewis’ Invitational XI
Sunday 28th February 2016
Basil Chambers All Stars X1
