Venezuela to play Panama this weekend

Representative teams from Panama and Venezuela will play two one-day 'internationals' in Panama City later this week.

The 30-over-a-side matches to be played this Friday and Saturday will be the initial occasion the countries have met on the cricket field.

It is believed to be the first time Panama has fielded a combined team since a side from Trinidad & Tobago visited in 1964.

Panama will field different captains in both matches.

The Venezuelan side will include the Indian Ambassador and the Consul General of Trinidad & Tobago.

The semi-finalists of the local domestic competition have been decided following Paraiso CC's win over Bathan CC in bizairre circumstances last weekend.

After Bathan C.C elected to bat and finished its 25 over innings at 164-9 in 25 overs, it decided to abandon the match with Paraiso needing 64 runs from eight overs.

The semi-finalists are Kachalia "B", Alam, Nawab and Paraiso.

The semiifinals will be held on April 23 and 24.

The big news for cricket in Venezuela is the visit to Caracas of the Georgetown Cricket Club from Guyana.

Venezuela's three clubs have been playing matches among themselves so far this season.

The new Americas Development Officer will have plenty of potential to work with in the Caribbean basin, with cricket being played in Mexico, Belize, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Surinam, Guadeloupe, Dutch Antilles, Turks & Caicos, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba and the Bahamas.