Raemaru Park in Arorangi will be a hive of activity today when it hosts the much anticipated 2022 Rarotonga Cricket Club competition finals.

Arorangi Redbacks and Red Hot Babes will be gunning for a rare clean sweep when they take on Muri and Tupapa K11 in the women’s and men’s finals respectively.

The Arorangi teams made it into the finals after winning the top of the table playoffs while Muri and Tupapa K11 had to beat Turangi in the semi-finals last week.

Red Hot Babes captain Leanne Kiria-Browne said they fell short in the semi-final of the 2021 competition which marked their return after a decade.

They have gone a notch up and are gunning for win against defending champions Muri.

The side has lost only once this season to Turangi.

“We played Muri once at the beginning of the season and have learnt from mistakes as the season went on. It will be good to see skilled cricket players both from Muri and Arorangi, we will get to see the two top ladies team battling in the final,” Kiria-Browne said.

“We all looking forward to the game … and it’s a matter of playing how you normally play.”

Muri’s young skipper Philica Maruariki who led her team to an outstanding win in the semis against Turangi last Saturday with a superb 103 runs not out, said they were looking forward to retaining the title.

“The girls are super pumped and confident because we do have a mixture of experienced and new ones,” Maruariki said.

The team gave away 50 extras (23 wides and 27 no balls) against Turangi and Maruariki said they do not want to repeat that mistake in today’s clash.

In the men’s final, the Redbacks will be looking to defend their title against arch-rivals Tupapa K-11.

Team captain Dan Simpson said: “Each game we put on a pretty solid performance so I guess we are looking to prove that last season was not like a fluke.”

“We had some pretty intense training, three times a week down at the nets even when it was raining, we managed some fielding training.

“The boys are excited and they are pretty confident. We don’t take K11 lightly and I think that’s how you gonna go about it thinking they are better than you so you get your best performance.”

The Redbacks met K-11 twice this season and won both matches but they were close.

Tupapa K-11 senior player Davis Teinaki said: “This is a newly formed team. Last year we made it to the semis, this was the goal to get into the final. We believe we can surprise everyone.”

The finals will start at 12.15pm with Muri taking on Arorangi in women’s division followed by men’s clash between the Redbacks and K11 at 3.15pm. Entry is free.

Food stalls and bar services will be available during the match. There will be bouncy castle for the kids.