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| 'Divas' celebrate their epic win |
By Vir B. Lumicao
Jennifer Alumbro delivered three sixes and bowled out three
rival players as Filipinas stormed to the championship of Cricket Hong Kong’s
Development League on Jun 3 with a clean sweep of all their matches in their
maiden season in the sport.
The SCC Divas, an all-domestic helper team, formally took
the crown via a devastating 141-run victory in 16 overs against their Game 2
opponents Craigengower Cricket Club, which managed only 37 runs.
The Filipinas warmed up for the final match in a 124-run win
in 16 overs against United Services Recreation Club’s 48 in the morning game.
“Thank you for making this league very exciting,” head coach
British Richard Waite told the Divas players after the final game.
Waiter later handed the team a small, token gold trophy,
which he said would be replaced with a big one at the awarding of trophies and
medals on Jun 22, at a still unknown venue.
“You easily dominated the league in your first cricket tournament.
Next season, we will move you up to the T20 league, where you will be playing
against more experienced teams,” Waite said. He urged the Filipinas to invite
more of their friends to the sport.
Opposing teams in a T20 game play a single innings restricted
to 20 overs.
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| Arimas receives token trophy for grand slam win |
Alumbro was declared the most valuable player of
the day, as she scored three sets of six runs against USRC by batting the ball
past the border in the first game , and another six in the match against CCC.
Ma Luz Madia was also picked as an MVP.
For the entire league that began on May 6, Alumbro was the
highest scorer with a total of 193 runs. Close behind her was Divas captain
Josie Arimas with 189 runs, while Zeny Badajos was third-highest with 140.
The left-handed Alumbro denied CCC a chance to overtake the 141
runs that the Divas strung in their innings by dismissing three batters with
precision bowling.
Romina Osabel, a powerful softball and baseball player, took
down two wickets while Arimas dropped one as the Divas showed the opponents
they were on target even from a distance. Badajos did just that when she
recovered a fast ball from the right field and struck down the stump about 20
meters away.
All CCC could score in their innings was 37 runs for 16
overs, after losing some from deductions for the fallen wickets.
Coach Najeeb Amar, who honed up the baseball and
softball-oriented Filipinas in this entirely unfamiliar sport, joined the
players in savoring their victory.
“You made my life easier, girls,” Amar said, recalling how
he initially found it difficult calling them up for training, understandably
because of their jobs. But not long afterwards, it was the Filipinas who would
call him to come out and train them, he said.
He said in the T20 league, he will divide the 25 Divas players
into two teams playing in the same tournament.
For now, the team will have a month-long rest before they start
rigid training for the next season, which will begin in September.
Arimas could not hide her elation at her team’s success. “Grand
slam talaga, walang talo. Ang saya kanina. Tapos ang kalaban (CCC) dating
naglaro na sa main league,” she said.
