42 August 2012 BTM happeningssportsrecreation Alison Coldridge India’s national sport is booming in the Kingdom; cricket has proven to be an unstoppable force with a consistent surge of new recruits and tournaments. As the Kingdom’s largest tournament in terms of number of teams involved and the number of matches played on a single day, the Bahrain Cricket League (BCL) is no small sporting venture. Players aged from 13 to 60 and of all nationalities join forces to play this popular game on a regular basis. It’s a lot of work for the 10-man voluntary committee, but it’s a task they all enjoy says sports secretary Babar Hussain; “Last year the league celebrated 30 years of existence, which was a huge mark of achievement for us. We also built our own website, rule book and set up an umpiring workshop,” he says. The league organises seven tournaments a year, and next month the BCL will begin its new season with two league tournaments. “The T20 format tournaments are for the premier league (the top 24 teams of the BCL) and a diamond league for the remainder,” he explains. An astonishing 18-20 matches will be played every Friday, divided into morning and afternoon sessions. The teams will be involved continuously with one Friday free per month. The BCL currently has seven grounds reserved; matted pitches in Busaiteen and Riffa, as well as at the Safreh public security and Awali’s Bapco grounds. The prizes for each tournament include trophies and cash prizes. There are also individual prizes for the top performers, including ‘man of the match’ for both semi-final and final stages, ‘best batsman’, ‘best bowler’, ‘best fielder’, ‘best allrounder’, ‘century scorer’ and those who take five wicket hauls in a singles match. “Anyone can come to watch or play; we extend a warm welcome to any player of any nationality. Whether you are looking for exercise, fun, training or even simply want to meet new people, then come along and get involved,” Babar encourages. The committee is expecting an increase of teams for the new season and is contemplating the introduction of new tournaments. “Last season we had 48 teams playing and we expect as many as 54 this time round. We may hold three separate additional tournaments, for 18 teams each,” Baber outlines. The BCL seems very passionate about the league and plans to evolve it further over the upcoming years. “Next year we are planning to introduce an independent panel of umpire. Currently umpiring duty is entrusted to members of teams on a rotation basis,” he adds. “We have many ambitious plans which could be implemented with financial sponsorship.” E Call 36 005-693 or visit www.bclcricket.com. Don’t Be Caught Out! When? September 2012-June 2013 | Event? Cricket tournaments | Venue? Various venues Part of the committee The Bahrain Tennis Club has been hosting various programmes and competitions throughout Ramadan, allowing tennis fans to get involved or simply to watch. A junior training programme is ongoing until August 8, open for children aged between six and 14. Sessions take place nightly between 7pm and 9pm and are divided into beginners, intermediate and advanced players. Simultaneously, the club is running its annual Ramadan tournaments for both amateur and professional adult players to take part in. Two competitions are involved; the Late Y K Almoayyed Doubles Championship and the Late Majed Al Zayani Super Doubles Championship. E Call 17 729-561. The Swing of Things
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