The Monsignor Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre (FRC), in collaboration with the Vieux Fort South Constituency Council, successfully hosted a National Woulélaba Cricket Competition on the La Ressource, Vieux Fort Playing Field on Sunday, 20 October 2024.
It was the first time this event had been hosted since October 2018 and featured six teams from various parts of the island. Though the event was affected by inclement weather, after team captains agreed to reduce the number of overs to three, or eighteen balls, per side, the festival was successfully concluded before the early onset of darkness.
The winning team hailed from Balca, while second place went to the Mon Repos team, which delighted the crowd with exquisite power-hitting during the preliminary rounds, on their way to achieving the highest score of the day—57 runs. Third place was awarded to the team from Millet. The player with the most runs was Mervin Wells from the Mon Repos team, who also won the award for hitting the most sixes.
Following the games, many players said that Woulélaba tournaments should be held more often and that youth should be encouraged to play the game to maintain the tradition. A highlight of the day, outside of the actual cricket and musical entertainment, was the demonstration of a traditional technique: the burning of dried leaves and grass on the wet pitch to get it dry sufficiently for the games.
The FRC extends its gratitude to all residents who contributed to preparing the playing surface and surroundings. Special thanks to the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports for permission to use the venue, the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO), the Ministry of Infrastructure, and LUCELEC for making power available on short notice.