Monteco Drifters and Bluffuzz got an entended period to prepare for the final of the Monteco Creations’ Tyro Sports 45 and Over Windball T10 Cricket League after the title-match was postponed to Saturday.
Cautious of not violating the Public Health Ordinance Regulations guidelines as what had happened last week in Central, organiser Roger "Zoff" Celestine opted to delay the playing of the final two matches which was carded for last Saturday at the Gabba grounds in Bourg Mulatresse in Lower Santa Cruz.
The Central Superleague was stopped on Wednesday by the Commissioner of Police (CoP) Gary Griffith for breaching the COVID-19 protocols and caused a traffic pile-up along Pierre Road, Charlieville.
Speaking to Guardian Media Sports on Monday Celestine said, "After seeing what happened with the league, we are just taking precautions and put off the final. "We were nothing like that though, throughout the league, we were sectioning spectators, sanitising all and everyone wore their mask but I put off the final based on that."
At that time, a semi-final match in the Central T10 tournament was in progressed and some 1,000 spectators were viewing the action.
In a release, the CoP reiterated that there must be no spectators at team sports during the COVID-19 pandemic adding that with the large crowd present, there was clearly a breach of the Public Health (2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCOV) Regulations, 2020.
The Regulations state: “During the period specified in Regulation 16, a person shall not, without reasonable justification– (a) be found at any public place where the number of persons gathered at any time exceeds ten; (b) participate in any sport or team sports which involves the congregation of more than ten persons; or (c) be found at or in any beach, river, stream, pond, spring or similar body of water in congregations of more than ten persons.”
To prevent any possibility of duplicating the Central league's mis-step and adhere to the guidelines, Tyro has rescheduled the matches which were the third-place playoff between Xmen and Hit and Run, followed by the finale. The matches will now be played on separate days.
The challenge for third place will now take place on Thursday from 7 pm and then on Saturday, the finalists meet at 6 pm to battle for the T10 crown in the 45 and Over competition which featured eight teams.
Drifters drifted into the final after defeating Xmen by two wickets in the second semifinal at the same venue on Wednesday night. Bowler Gary Cupidore greatly influenced that outcome, claiming three wickets for 19 runs for the winner.
Other finalist, Bluffuzz enter the finale after a long rest having booked its spot in the title match on August 1. They were automatic qualifiers after topping Xmen by four runs in an exciting "Big Six" semifinal thriller.