The annual Inter-Primary Cricket Competition began on Friday with boys and girls matches unfolding through 20 June across Grand Cayman.
Marie Martin Primary School and Island Primary (B) played their first match of the tournament at Smith Road Oval on 5 May.
Trevor Blake, Marie Martin Primary School coach, told the Compass that although his team came up short against Island Primary (B) by just 7 runs, they exceeded his expectations and he is proud of them.
Blake has been working with Cayman youth in cricket over the years and said it is a dream come true to see the competition come alive.
“I’m tremendously excited about it. I know that this is a training ground, but at the same time, this is where we make our [Cayman] national team. This is where our foundation starts,” he said.
He is aware of the impact this competition has on the students.
“I have coached at least two or three players that have passed through this competition that are now on the [Cayman] national cricket team,” he said.
Captain of the Marie Martin Primary girls’ team, Tahery Powell, said she’s excited to play in this competition, as it helps to build communication and friendships amongst her teammates.
Powell also shared her vision for the value of this tournament, saying, “And we could [possibly] even get a scholarship for sports.”
This year’s competition comprises of 16 participating schools, public and private, which are divided into Zone A and B in the girls’ and boys’ league. Teams consist of 11 players and games are 12 overs.
| Boys/Girls | |
| Zone A | Zone B |
| East End Primary | Marie Martin Primary |
| Edna Moyle Primary | Cayman Academy |
| Theoline McCoy Primary | Cayman International School |
| Joanna Clarke Primary | Island Primary (B) |
| Cayman Prep (B) | Cayman Prep (A) |
| Prospect Primary | Sir John A Cumber |
| Red Bay Primary | St. Ignatius Catholic |
| Island Primary (A) | Footsteps |
Games are played on Fridays at 12pm for the girls, lasting approximately one hour, while the boys play directly after, starting at 1pm, for approximately one hour and forty-five minutes. Game venues include the various primary schools and the Smith Road Oval.
Final matches are set for 20 June at the Smith Road Oval with the girls’ game starting at 10am, followed by the boys’ game at 12:30pm.
The Department of Education Services (DES) and Department of Sports organize and coordinate the annual competition, with sponsorship from CUC and the Cayman Cricket Association.
CUC began sponsoring the competition in 2022. Neil Murray, senior corporate communications officer at CUC, told the Compass that it’s promising to see the league grow.
After seeing the success of the inter-primary football competition, which is also sponsored by CUC, he said it was a “no brainer to include cricket in our repertoire of sponsorship”. He believes introducing the primary school students to a cricket competition of this nature is a great way for them to segway into local cricket leagues.
Kerry Ann Jones-Hylton, DES lead primary physical education teacher, told the Compass that the cricket league has grown a lot over the years.
“The girls are excited, the boys are excited, and the game of cricket is alive and well in the Cayman Islands,” she said.
She added that the presence of this league goes beyond playing games and having competition. She believes that academics combined with sports helps to create a well-rounded student and with this league, they are trying to cater to the holistic development of Cayman’s youth.
According to Jones-Hylton, cricket is a bit new to the primary school girls; however, she said they are excited to play, as they are “coming into their own now as cricketers”.
