Thinley Namgay    

Dechencholing Higher Secondary School  (DHSS) and Taba Lower Secondary School  (TLSS) will play the final of the first under (U)-15 Bhutan Amateur Baseball League (BABL) at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu on July 8.

Organised by Bhutan Baseball and Softball Association (BBSA), the U-15 BABL began on December 18 last year at Changangkha Middle Secondary School’s (CMSS) ground.

Five schools in Thimphu, Dechencholing HSS, Taba LSS, Thimphu Primary School (TPS), Changangka MSS, and Druk School participated in the tournament.

The tournament was supposed to end in March, but the pandemic disrupted the game schedule.

All the games were played on weekends with a maximum of seven innings.

Taba’s coach, Choki Tenzin, said that his team would put 100 percent effort during the final and make the game competitive. “We would execute the strategies and techniques which we have been practising until now.”

Of the eight games played, TLSS won six and lost two.

“We had a playoff match with DHSS, where we won 14-3. We had another playoff match (semi-final) with TPS and my team defeated 11-6,” said Choki Tenzin.

DHSS’s coach, Tsering Zangmo, said her team had won all the eight games played and she was confident about the players.

“We have been practising diligently so far and the only issue was the lack of quality ground. Had there been decent ground, the practice session would have been much better,” she said.

BBSA’s media officer, Jechen Ladree, said the objective of the tournament is to develop and prepare youth players for dzongkhag clubs and senior leagues while introducing, promoting, and popularising baseball and softball.

Ninety students were engaged in the BABL.