After two days, six matches, 15 hours of cricket, 150 spectators, 300 plates of churrasco and just the odd can of ice-cold Brahma, the 2014 Brazilian National T20 State Cricket Championships drew to a close on Sunday 2nd of a sizzingly hot Carioca November.

São Paulo may have been declared narrow victors by pipping Minas Gerais on run-rate, but there was no doubt that the greatest sports’ cliché of all was proven true: cricket in Rio de Janeiro and Brazil was the true winner.

For the first time in the event’s history, Brazilian graduates of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) pioneering scheme in Poços de Caldas played for a senior state side with sixteen-year old wicket-keeper Luis Felipe representing his home state of Minas Gerais.

Former professional English cricketer, Matt Featherstone runs the initiative, which is supported by the local government in Minas Gerais state, on behalf of Cricket Brasil. Currently, more than 450 kids play cricket each week in Poços de Caldas with plans in place to increase this figure to 1,000 by next year’s tournament.

All four teams fielded a number of born and bred Brazilians for the very first time. Playing alongside an eclectic mix of Pakistanis, Indians, Afghans, Brits, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, Trinidadians and South Africans, the Fazenda São Fernando, was a true representation of cosmopolitan Rio de Janeiro.

The highlight was undoubtedly the Friends & Family Day on Saturday 1 November when more than 100 men, women and children came to check out Brazil’s national cricket championships. With the swimming pool full, the churrasco flaming, kids trying out cricket on the sidelines and the sun shining, it was a special introduction to the sport for many.

The Carioca Cricket Club (CCC) was proud to show-off cricket’s progress in Brazil to two high level ICC officials, Ben Kavanagh, Regional Development Manager ICC Americas and Financial Director ICC Americas Wade Edwards.

Huge thanks goes to Granado for making the championships possible. Emperor Don Pedro I’s favourite pharmaceutical company and one of Brazil’s oldest corporate institutions is the CCC’s main sponsor. The event was also indebted to Cricket Brasil and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for the supply of the match balls.

TOURNAMENT SCORES:

DF V MG – DF beat MG
MG 152 for 7 ( M Featherstone 56, D Hobbs 32, R Hartmann 4 overs/2/18, A Miziara 4/2/45, K Bishnoi 4/1/19, D Jayamal 4/1/22 )
DF 153 for 1 ( M Umar 81 n.o., V Kumar 44, Andrew Crawford 3/1/34 )

SP V DF – SP beat DF
DF 97 all out in 18th over ( A Miziara 27, Robin 3/3/7, J Randolph 3/2/8, S.Singh 4/2/21)
SP 98/2 in the 18th over ( N Jones 45, P Niranjan 31 n.o., K Bishnoi

CCC V DF – CCC beat DF
CCC 174/8 ( S Anwar 95, K Bishnoi 4/3/30, M Umar 3/2/18)
DF 163 all out in 20th over ( R Hartmann 46, D Jayamal 21, J Pringle 4//4/33, S Aldred 4/3/27, F Brunt 4/1/24)

CCC vs MG – MG beat CCC
MG 218/5 (M Featherstone 108 n.o, D Hobbs 43, J Pringle 4/1/25, S Anwar 1/45)
CCC (V Akula 31, C Allison 19, R Fitzhardinge 2/3/5, D Hobbs 4/2/35, Richard 4/2/23

SP vs MG
MG 137 for 5 (M Featherstone 49 n.o, R Fitzhardinge 31 n.o.)
SP 134 for 10

CCC vs SP – SP Beat CCC (scorebook MIA)
CCC – C Allison 48* F Brunt 3 wickets