Even as the National Stadium at Providence received the thumbs up for next year’s ICC Twenty20 World Cup there will be another first for the venue this Caricom weekend.
The stadium will be host the first ever hockey tournament on Monday featuring some of the top local teams.
Gregory Sills, Secretary of the Guyana Hockey Board disclosed that the tournament will be played on Caricom Day (Monday) starting at 09:00 hours and will feature four men’s first division teams and three female sides.
The men’s team to do battle are Georgetown Cricket Club, Hikers, Old Fort and Western Dragons of West Demerara.
Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC)will battle with Old Fort in the penultimate match of the Farfan and Mendes men’s first division hockey league in what is expected to be an enthralling encounter between the two archrivals.
The match is set for this afternoon at the GCC ground, Bourda and hockey officials are hoping for fine weather following the postponement of the game from last Monday.
The home team who are unbeaten so far will be looking to continue on the winning track but will find a battle -hard Old Fort who will be seeking their first taste of victory.
The Bourda side will be spearheaded by Devin Hooper (captain), Damon Woodroffe, Alan Fernandes, Philip Fernandes, Kevin Spencer, Dwayne Scott, Michael Xavier, Shad Fernandes, Orlando Semple and Marcus Fiedtkou.
Old Fort on the other hand will be looking to their seasoned campaigners to lead the charge and they include John Abrahams, Jason DeSantos, Askofu Simon, Aderemi Simon, Dwight Sullivan, Wayne St. Jules, Dexter Wyles, with Mikhail Smith being the goalkeeper.
Hikers the other team in the competition are current leaders with five points from three matches with one game to play.
They drew with GCC in the first round and defeated Old Fort in the second round but the Old Fort side held them to a draw in the second round.
GCC are currently on four points following their success over Old Fort and a draw with
Hikers, while Old Fort only point came from their tied game with GCC.
Bully off is at 16:45 hours.
The final game of the league is set for Monday with GCC taking on Hikers in a virtual final should GCC lose to Old Fort today.
Meantime, the Guyana Hockey Board has planned a Caricom one-day tournament for July 5 at a venue to be finalised.
However, informed sources disclosed that the tournament is likely to be played at the National Stadium at Providence.
