Some juicy Pineapple fare will be on menu

CRICKET fever is set to grip Port Alfred over the coming week from today as the 114th annual Pineapple Cricket tournament takes centrestage around the town.

Teams from all over the region will be in exciting cricket action as they battle it out for the coveted trophy in one of the country’s oldest cricket festivals, with 48 games in total to be played.

“The tournament is always exciting, no one knows who is going to win it and we are really looking forward to a great week of cricket,” said Pineapple tournament president Walter Biggs.

“This is the first time we are using seven fields on the first weekend and it’s going to be the most matches that we have ever played.

“This is definitely going to be our biggest tournament.”

The favourites for this year’s tournament should be defending champions Cuylerville and recently crowned league champions Southwell.

They will have a great early opportunity to show who has the edge as the two sides clash today in their first games of the competition, which could set the tone for either team’s charge for the title.

“Southwell has won the league which has been dominated by Cuylerville over the last few years, so that has definitely opened it up a lot, so the first game of Southwell versus Cuylerville is going to be a very big one and a great way to get this year’s edition under way,” admitted Biggs.

“But I think there are about four or five sides who could take it in the end.

“Willows (the Grahamstown XI side) got into the final last year, they did very well and have some very good players, so they will be in with a shout, while a few other sides including my old side Sidbury will have a shot.

“I think that the most consistent side over the week will be the one that wins it in the end.”

In all 29 teams will be taking part in the tournament, with eight in the A division, eight in the B, five in the C, four invitational teams and four other sides all getting game time over the week.

In pool A of the A division will be Cuylerville, Southwell, Port Alfred and Rhodes, while the B section will feature Sidbury, Manleys, Grahamstown XI and Salem.

In the B division defending champs Station Hill are in pool A along with Cuylerville, Southwell and Salem second teams, while pool B has 2017 runners-up Kenton with Manleys, Sidbury and Port Alfred seconds.

With over 300 players in action, there is set to be great fun and rivalry between the sides and some cracking games on show.

“The biggest attraction is the friendly rivalry, it is always a lot of fun and after the games the guys meet up and socialise at night, which is always a wonderful vibe and just adds to the occasion,” said Biggs.

“We get some good support from the locals and we are expecting some nice crowds out over the week.

“Once the players get on the field though the action is going to be fierce because the teams really like having bragging rights and the other teams are going to want to take them off Cuylerville by the end of the week.”