North Leeward return to national cricket premiership

Providence Electronic Solutions North Leeward will get their second taste of cricket in the Premier Division of the national cricket programme, which bowls off this weekend.

North Leeward will immediately have to contend with 2016 and 2017 winners FLOW Radcliffe at the Arnos One Playing Field. 

North Leeward gained promotion to the top division this year, after triumphing in the 2017 First Division competition.

Conversely, North Leeward replace Carl Joseph Law Chambers ASCO, who were relegated from last year‘s Premier Division, by virtue of finishing at the bottom of the table.

Jules Anthony, a lead figure in the North Leeward set-up, told SEARCHLIGHT that they are quietly optimistic about competing in the premiership, and have set some small goals, which he thinks are achievable.

“We first want to play good cricket… We want our players to do well individually and when they do so, we do well as a team and ultimately remain in the Premier Division,” Anthony reasoned.

He said that they would have learnt lessons from a previous sojourn in the Premier Division, from which they were eventually demoted.

Anthony is cognisant that they will be coming up against some seasoned players, but agreed that they will have to play smart cricket for a sustained period of the two days of each of their five matches.

Additionally, Anthony said the community of North Leeward is anxiously looking forward to see their own at home on the Cumberland Playing Field, the newest addition of venues to national cricket competitions.

Also this weekend, the other fixtures see Victors One playing Guardian General Saints at Sion Hill, while Team Rivals meet Police Two at the Park Hill Playing Field.

Matches begin at 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. on Sundays.

The cricket committee of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association Inc, in their review of last year’s two rounds of competition in the Premier Division, made the recommendation to revert to one round.

However, following the two-day format, the six teams will engage each other in a 50-over competition.

Thereafter, the four top teams emerging from both the Premier and First Divisions, will come together for a National Club Championship.

The Neil Williams Twenty/20 Competition, involving 18 teams, will follow the National Club Championships.

Victors One won last year’s Neil Williams 20/20 Competition.(RT)