BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, December 11, 2017 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — Lodge Domino Club regained the Constituency Number Seven Dr the Hon Timothy Harris Domino League championship after leading from the front to effectively beat holders of the title Unity Domino Club 13-8, in the last of three finals at the Edgar Gilbert Sporting Complex pavilion in Molineux on Sunday December 10.
Having been dethroned by Unity last year, players on the Lodge team had vowed to avenge in this year’s 22nd edition of Constituency Number Seven Domino League. True to their word they beat Unity twice in the round-robin stage, and further beat them in the first of three finals.
Lodge however faltered on Thursday December 7 in what would have been the last game for them to reclaim the title when they allowed Unity to beat them 10-13, forcing a third final game. It felt like Lodge had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
It was therefore no surprise when on Sunday Lodge’s captain, Horatio Thomas, came breathing fire and unleashed his boys on the unsuspecting Unity players who also had felt, and rightly so, that they had the chance to retain the title in the longest running domino league in the Federation, if not in the region.
The league, as the name suggests, is sponsored by the area Parliamentary Representative Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, who is also the Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. He is also the Political Leader of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) one of the three parties in the ruling Team Unity Administration.
This year the league had a record fourteen teams taking part. Twelve of the teams were from Constituency Number Seven, while two of the teams, Saddlers Domino Club and Parsons Domino Club were from the neighbouring Constituency Number Six.
Players from both teams in the final and deciding game had on Sunday December 10 assembled at the Edgar Gilbert Sporting Complex pavilion long before the appointed 4:00 pm start time. However, they did not take to the tables until 4:17 pm.
Table One was occupied by Everton Boon and O’Niel Thomas of Lodge, and Allington Berridge and Antonio ‘Marsh’ Phillip from Unity, while at Table Two were Captain Edmund ‘Fergie’ Rawlins and Reginald Richards of Unity, and Captain Horatio Thomas and Javed Thomas of Lodge.
Due to the game’s high stakes four referees were on duty, two for each of the tables. Table One had Cremoy Agard and Zeyn Pencheon, while Table Two had Ericson Wescott and Norris Sharry. League Organiser Calvin Farrell assumed the general overseer’s role, which he carried out with aplomb. Scorer was Jacob Nisbett.
From the scoring board, Lodge was leading on Table One and Unity was leading on Table Two immediately the noble tussle for the best team started. It therefore did not take anyone by surprise when Lodge won the first point at 4:35 pm from Table One, quickly followed by Unity equalising from Table Two at 4:37 pm.
At 4:46 pm Lodge scored another point from Table One to lead 2-1, which saw Unity replace their players on Table One with Simeon ‘Cuban’ Liburd, and Levi Pemberton who is still recovering from a nasty accident he had suffered at his home.
Lodge surged on with a double from Table Two to lead 4-1, an act that saw Unity substitute its players, Captain Edmund ‘Fergie’ Rawlins and Reginald Richards, on Table Two by bringing in Allington Berridge and Antonio ‘Marsh’ Phillip. Lodge added another point from Table One at 5:09 pm to lead 5-1.
With that scenario playing out, Simeon ‘Cuban’ Liburd was replaced on Table One by Reginald Richards. Unity scored a point from Table Two at 5:13 pm to reduce their deficit to 2-5, and at 5:27 pm they struck a double from Table One and the deficit stood at 4-5 sending warning signs to Lodge.
Table Two was a mixed bag for Unity as in one game they were leading on the score board by as much as 93-43 but Lodge overtook them and at 5:35 pm they took that point to lead 6-4. However, Unity strongly came back and at 5:45 pm hit a double from the same table to even the scores 6-6.
The blow was too much for Lodge as the players temporarily vacated their tables and when they returned, for the first time the team substituted a player bringing in McAllister Thomas in place of Javed Thomas.
There was a brief seesaw in the point scoring to a level where the two teams tied at 7-7. Lodge surged on and led 8-7, and Unity came back strongly to level at 8-8, which saw Unity player Allington Berridge standing and shouting in jubilation, but before he could find his seat, Javed Thomas and O’Niel Thomas playing ruthlessly from Table One pushed the score to 9-8 in their favour, and followed it at 7:01 with a double for their team to lead 11-8.
The last two points by Lodge came in individually, one at 7:14 pm from Table One to put the score at 12-8 in their favour, and the all-important point was returned at 7:15 pm from Table Two which was manned by Captain Horatio Thomas and McAllister Thomas to bring the score to 13-8, and seal the fate for Unity.
League Organiser, Calvin Farrell, has indicated that the official presentation of trophies and awards for the 22nd edition of the Constituency Number Seven Dr the Hon Timothy Harris Domino League competition will be held next week at a day to be announced. Sponsor of the league, Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, who is also the Prime Minister of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis will be the chief guest.