By Nelson Belen, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This coming Sunday, October 29th, Rio’s Carioca Cricket Club (CCC) will be holding its first major event at the Lagoa baseball field: a Quick Cricket tournament, featuring six teams of six players each, competing in a round-robin tournament.
“It’s going to be a great day with plenty of competitive cricket!” exclaimed CCC President Freddie Brunt. “Since July, we have run regular training sessions at the baseball diamond at Lagoa, but this is our first big event there!”
The event kicks off at 1PM and will feature prizes for the winning teams as well as post-match curry (for R$35 per head). While spectators for the tournament are of course welcome, the slots for the six teams are currently all full.
Interestingly, as Club chairman and English expatriate, Tobias Hanbury explained, not only are the teams’ rosters full, they include players of varying backgrounds and cricket experience.
“Most are regular CCC players from all over the world, but some of the players have no cricket experience,” Hanbury shared. “Several are Brazilians and several are female.”
Sunday’s tournament also marks the CCC’s first big event at the Lagoa baseball field (next to Palaphita Kitch lounge). The club began using the field for their regular nets (training) several months ago.
Unsurprisingly, the baseball diamond is also used by the Carioca Baseball and Softball Federation (FCBS). Hanbury explained that the organization fully welcomed the CCC onto the site.
“We met some of the baseball guys practicing at Lagoa and then got in contact with the FCBS President, Erick Nakano,” said Hanbury. “He has been very supportive of cricket and the CCC, and understands that our two sports can happily co-exist for our mutual benefit.”
Hanbury detailed the arrangement, revealing that “CCC shares the cost of maintaining the diamond and enhancing the equipment and facilities there, and in return, the CCC can use the space on certain days.”
Currently, the CCC runs regular training sessions at the Lagoa baseball field every other Sunday from 3PM to 5PM and there is a R$20 fee to participate.
For more information on the CCC and either the October 29th Quick Cricket tournament or the every other Sunday training sessions, please visit the club’s Facebook page.
* This is a Sponsored article for the Carioca Cricket Club.