CRICKET enthusiasts in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean are currently being captivated by the June 1-29 Twenty/20 World Cup, being jointly hosted by the West Indies and the US.
And with the Windies safely into the Super Eight stage of the competition, die-hard maroon fans would hope the Caribbean team can lift an unprecedented third T20 World Cup at Kensington Oval in Barbados when the final ball in the tournament is bowled.
T20 cricket and the even shorter T10 version capture the attention of fans who crave the party atmosphere which goes hand-in-hand with fast-paced sport.
And from the entity which brought the Chuck E Cheese franchise to Trinidad, a fun experience for cricket fans is here with Sixes Social Cricket.
The brainchild of Joanna Rostant, the co-founder of the Yay Entertainment Ltd company, which owns the Chuck E Cheese franchise in the Caribbean, Sixes Social Cricket is a sports restaurant and bar which is expected to marry the cricket culture and liming culture of Trinis under one roof with the advent of a "fun, cool" cricket game.
Sixes Social Cricket, in the eastern block of One Woodbrook Place, Port of Spain, near Buzz Bar, will engage its guests to do much more than watch and banter about their favourite sports and athletes.
With five cricket batting nets, each outfitted with an automated bowling machine set at five difficulty levels, Rostant said Sixes Social Cricket promises its patrons the opportunity to channel the brilliance and flair which the "electric" West Indian greats of yesteryear displayed as they conspired to "decimate the next team."
Rostant said it's a chance for Trinis to lime, dine and enjoy their very own version of calypso cricket. The "top-class technology" of the batting nets was created by UK company BatFast, which has received praise from former South African batsman Gary Kirsten for its innovation.
"BatFast is a great way to engage cricket enthusiasts. It's the perfect entertainment offering for the amateur and a great training tool for the more experienced cricketer too," Kirsten said, via a statement on the BatFast website.
On June 17, Rostant spoke to Newsday about the rationale during a brief tour of the 5,800-square-foot facility.
"I look back and I say every rum shop in Trinidad has an all-fours table. This is what is called competitive socialising," Rostant said. "You're socialising, but you're competing. You're playing a game at the same time. Competitive socialising has exploded after covid, because people were so frustrated by being at home and by themselves.
"When I discovered this concept of social cricket, that six, eight or ten or however many people can lime and book a net together, it was like Trinis to our soul."
Rostant reckons the cost of her investment to be in the region of $6-7 million, and she also has her sights set on opening another Sixes Social Cricket outlet at Brentwood Mall, Chaguanas, where Chuck E Cheese is also situated. Depending on the success of the One Woodbrook Place outlet, Rostant said she will also branch out to Caribbean countries such as Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados and St Lucia.
"It's not just a sports bar and it's not just a lounge and it's not just a restaurant. It's this additional entertainment here.
"If you've ever played topgolf in the US or if you've ever been bowling, it's the cricket version of topgolf or bowling.
"For me, the combination of cricket and liming is what is in our bones and our culture. It's throughout the Caribbean, and not just in Trinidad."
Having led the Chuck E Cheese franchise for ten years, Rostant said the push to embark on the venture came from her desire to target a different demographic, as Chuck E Cheese caters to children from six-12.
As fate would have it, Rostant's inspiration came through the eyes of her youngest son, who accompanied her to a business convention in Orlando two years ago. He was 12 at the time. At the convention, Rostant marvelled at a gaming zone which saw miniature games of golf, tennis, lacrosse and cricket being contested in an enclosed area. Rostant's interest was piqued by what she saw, and her son's fascination with the varying games gave her the zeal to bring her own gaming vision to life.
Rostant's opportunity to execute her vision came when she linked up with Andy Waugh, co-founder of the Sixes Social Cricket franchise in the UK. Rostant said the game "exploded in London," and she and Waugh were working toward launching the game in Trinidad this September.
In February, a phone call between the pair helped to fast-track Rostant's plans, as Waugh suggested it would be best to launch Sixes Social Cricket in Trinidad during the fan-crazed World Cup.
Rostant said "let's do it" to the challenge thrown down by Waugh, and now they're on the cusp of opening what she hopes will be the country's "mecca of competitive socialising."
The batting nets can be booked online via the Sixes Social Cricket TT website, and Rostant said the booking system is "working beautifully."
She said bookings have already been made for birthday parties, bachelorette parties and team-building exercises for companies and cricket teams. Patrons can also pre-order their drink and food options.
Net sessions will be a minimum of 30 minutes and costs $120 per person. Larger groups will be afforded more time in the nets to maximise their experience. Within the timeframe, each participant will face at least one over from the automated machine. A screen projector shows the fast-bowler or spinner in their delivery stride, with the bowlers' action and subsequent release in-sync with that of the machine's.
Batsmen can get scores of three, four or six for their shots when they hit the targets which are placed at strategic points of the net. The game will be played with a "hard sponge ball," with participants free to choose from windball or fibreglass bats.
Rostant heaped praise on local designer Joline Carrington for bringing her concepts to life.
Even if her guests don't try to play their own version of calypso cricket, Rostant sees no reason why the full ambience and experience can't be soaked up.
"You don't have to play cricket. You can come here and sit and lime or eat and drink. Cricket is not a requirement, but it surely adds to the fun.
"When you finish playing cricket and you want to lime, you're guaranteed to have entertainment here."
Sixes Social Cricket was hosted a private launch on the evening of June 18, featuring appearances from current Windies wicket-keeper/batsman Joshua Da Silva and Netherlands' T20 World Cup player Logan van Beek.
Sixes Social Cricket opened their doors to the public on June 19, and further information can be found via its website or social media platform.
