Doha: The Mangalore Cricket Club 15th Annual Ladies Open Throwball Tournament was held on November 3rd and Nov 4th at the Old Ideal Indian School grounds here. Mangalore Cricket club won the finals while Tulu Koota Qatar won the runners-up spot.
The annual tourney, one of the most popular events among the Mangalorean community in Qatar was inaugurated on Thursday evening, November 3 with a welcome address from the MCC president Prakash Noronha. MCC sports secretary Cyril D’Souza introduced the five teams of the tournament, Al-Khor Community led by Kannika Shetty, Konkan Stars led by Wilma D’Souza, Karnataka Sangha Qatar led by Shailaja Rajith, Tulu Koota Qatar led by Vijaya Shetty and the host MCC team led by Indira Kunder. Joint Sports secretary Naveen D’Souza conducted the oath-taking ceremony along with the match officials, team captains and managers on behalf of their teams.
The cool weather had become hot as the round-robin league matches were taking place. At the end Tulu Koota Qatar and Mangalore Cricket club qualified for the finals. All the five team supporters were cheering up their respective teams. DJ Naveen music and commentators Mishal Lovely Lobo, Mahesh Prabhu and Abdul Salam kept the audience in sportive spirit. Cheer girls Vanessa Fernandes, Lara D’souza, Nikita Rego, Navitha Rego and Viola Monteiro cheered the teams and the crowd with their beautiful dances to some good numbers choreographed by Jyothi D’Souza and Prabha Rego.
The final began on Friday evening, November 4 at 8.30PM. Before the match began, an official stage programme was conducted. MCC President Prakash Noronha, and Sports secretary Cyril D’souza escorted the Chief Guest of the evening Girish Kumar, President of Indian Cultural Association (ICC), main sponsor Alfred and Rita Sequeira of Gulf International Enterprises, Prestige Sponsor Franky Quadros, Proprietor of Al Amer Garage and Transport, Co-Sponsor Alan Currie and Finance Manager of SNC Lavalin to the stage. They were greeted with flower bouquets. Team procession was conducted wherein all the teams joined the grand march to the thunderous applaud of the audience.
All the teams were honored by Chief Guest Girish Kumar with a memento for their participation. The President then honored the Main and prestige sponsors while the co-sponsors were honored with a memento. TKQ team captain Vijaya Shetty was awarded a special memento for her consecutive 15th year of participation in the tournament.
Main Sponsor Alfred and Rita Sequeira of Gulf international Enterprises were specially honored for being the Patron and Main Sponsor continuously for all the 15 editions of MCC Annual Open Ladies Throwball Tournament. They were honored with a shawl, memento and a fruit basket.
Meantime Tulu Koota Qatar marked the event with its social activity like Environment Campaigns, where TKQ volunteers clean the ground with black garbage bags. The continuous Environment campaign of TKQ was well appreciated by the chief Guest of the evening Girish Kumar.
The team captains then introduced their team players to the guests. Chief Guest Girish Kumar and Main Sponsor Rita Sequeira tossed the ball to the captains declaring the final match open.
Tulu Koota Qatar and MCC in a final is always a net to net nail biting contest. Both the teams have won the championship multiple times and are made up of experienced as well as young players who give their best on the field. Apart from this, both the teams have a great fan-following which results in high-decibel sporting extravaganza, each time. It was again such intense, high-on-spirits and passionate finals wherein two of the best captains of the tournament Vijaya Shetty of TKQ and Indira Kunder of MCC led their teams. It was indeed an edge-of-the-seat affair where the pendulum swung in favour of one team to the other constantly. While MCC won the first set comfortably 25-13, TKQ came roaring bagging the second set in a thrilling fashion with a score of 27-25. But the MCC ladies held on to their nerves till the very end wining the third set 15-11 to retain the coveted trophy. Both the teams were equally good and matched each other in every department and tested all players strength with long rallies in midst of the cheering and excited crowd.
After the thrilling finals, the prize distribution ceremony was presided over by Alfred and Rita Sequeira, Franky Quadros and the President Prakash Noronha. Cyril D’Souza honored the match referee Lynel Jaison Lobo for officiating all the matches of the tournament with a memento. Richard D’Souza presented the best smasher award to Angela Dias of MCC Team, KSQ President H.K Madhu presented the best all-rounder award to Swetha Shetty, TKQ President Ravi Shetty presented the best catcher to Suma Mahesh of MCC. Best Fair play team was awarded to Konkan Star Team.
Rita Sequeira presented the medals, certificates and trophy to Runners-up Tulu Koota team and Prakash Noronha presented the Winners MCC team medals and certificates.
Alfred Sequeira presented the trophy to the reigning champions MCC team.
MCC Team:
Indira Kunder – Captain, Angela Antony, Mable Pereira, Maria D’Souza, Winnie Saldanha, SunithaTellis, Suma Mahesh, ,AartiFernandes, Siji Sunny, TreesaGoveas, Sunita D’Souza, Ashik Linda Lobo, Delita D’Souza, Sharon Lobo and Team Manager Riana Pinto.Team Coach Alexis Castelino.
Tulukoota Team:
Vijaya Shetty – Captain, Shobha Shetty, Akshaya Shetty, Bharathi Shetty, Vani Prakash Rao, Jyothi Shetty, Shilpa Shetty, Reshma Sunil, Padmashree Shetty, Chandrakala Shetty, Praveena Shetty, Swetha Shetty, Aruna Shetty, Preethi Shetty and Team Coach : Prakash Rao.
The stage programme was well compered by Wilma D’souza.
The sports officials were John Britto and Vincent Mendonca as the rotation officers and Ryan Renjar, Arun D’Souza, Vijay D’Souza and Errol as the linesmen. The commentators’ desk was managed by Mishal Lovely Lobo, Mahesh Prabhu and Abdul Salam while the scoreboard was managed by Jessy Mendonca and Dephny Lobo. The registration desk was handled by Vanessa Saldanha.
MCC thanks its sponsors Main Sponsor – Alfred & Rita Sequeira – Gulf international Enterprises, Prestige Sponsor: Francis Quadros – Al Amer Garage & Transportand Jerald D’Mello – J & J Infrastructure. Co-Sponsors:Alan Currie – SNC Lavalin, Wilfred Fernandes – Radisson Blu and Doha Bank.
Other Sponsors: Advanced Technical service (Ravi Shetty) ,Euro Parts (Abdulla Monu), Integral Food Services (William Aranha), Golden trading & Decoration (Asmath Ali), Wing International Trading and Contracting, Canara Jewellers, Bombay Silk Centre, Akshaya Jewellers, Oxy Print house, Integral Uniform, Intermodel Service Company, DHL Qatar, Dandy Ice cream.
