Pinatar Pirates Cricket Club.
Cricket by day…….Cricket by night…..
Having won the ECCL division two league, the Pinatar Pirates CC based at the Pinatar Arena in San Pedro, were not in a mood to take it easy until the start of the next season. Keen to continue to thrive forward and promote Cricket in Spain, it played host to a T20 tournament with teams travelling from the UK to participate. Elliot Davis property management based in the UK were on hand to help sponsor and promote this event, not only bringing two teams to Spain, Elliot Davis select CC, and Marshes CC, but also sponsored all the tournament trophies.
Friday saw the tournament kick off in style, with the splendid Pinatar Arena soaked in sunshine, Marshes from the UK looked impressive as they easily won their first game posting a target of 195. However the home team was not to be out done, winning their first game easy too, scoring 250. By Saturday it was almost as if the tournament had switched venue to the UK, and under overcast chilly conditions the United Asians team also recorded its first win. As night fell and the covers went on, the forecasted heavy rain came, the UK teams had certainly bought the weather with them!!
Sunday’s schedule was semi-finals, and then later the final and for the first time in Spain, a competitive day night game played under floodlights. So arriving at the ground and seeing the pitch under water was not a good sight. With the daytime semi’s cancelled and the officials doing there maths, it was determined that Marshes CC would play Pinatar CC in the first ever day night game in Spain, weather permitting!!
The Pinatar players and Arena ground staff worked hard transforming the main football pitch into a cricket ground. Fortunately the wet stuff blowing around in the air was not enough to prevent the Final from going ahead. At 17:00, Pirates lost the toss and were put into bat. They started well and were on course to post a decent score of around 180. Marshes however had other ideas and with 3 quick wickets falling at the midway stage, Pinatars tail got them to 138 for 9 of their 20 overs. It was always going to be 30 runs too short and though the bowlers made it hard work for Marshes CC, the result was never in doubt with the travelling side reaching the target with two overs to go. Both teams put on a great show, it was fantastic to be seated in a stadium in the darkness of the night, yet watching cricket being played live in front of you under floodlights. Congratulations to the Pinatar Arena and its ground staff on making this achievement possible, and from the success of the night final, there will certainly be more to follow.
Any disappointment that the Pirates felt were soon forgotten once the presentation dinner started. Team Manager Salim from Elliot Davis made sure the night started with a bang as Indian dance music accompanied by an Indian dancer performed for the teams. It was a fantastic and memorable evening with all teams mixing and enjoying the festivities.
Salim, joined by one of the Pinatar Arena directors and board member for Cricket España, Juan Carlos Rodriguez, presented the winners and runners up with their medals and Ron Graham, tournament Manager awarded the umpires and scorers with their medals in appreciation of their hard work throughout the three days.
The club would like to thank Elliot Davis for sponsoring the event and Pinatar Arena and its ground staff for making it all possible. A special thank you to Cookeze SL for their donation to the raffle prizes. Thanks also goes to its other long term sponsors The Curry Leaf Restaurant in Alcazeras and Ricos Bar in Torrevieja for their continued support.
League winners, and now history makers with the first competitive final being played at night under floodlights, good work Pirates!!!
Harmit Phull
