By Dervon Wallace
Still beaming from their recording breaking Round Robin final win over rival Westbury CC last Sunday, Villagers CC started their quest for the double on the rampage demolishing a mediocre looking Lions CC again in record breaking style in the first game of the NYMCL 2013 Roy Sweeney Challenge Cup preliminary game at Gateway Cricket Field in Brooklyn New York on Sunday August 11, 2013.

George Adams had match figures of 5 for 7 from 6 overs. Photo by Shiek Mohamed

On a hot summer day Lions CC captain Domain Waysome won the coin toss against Ewart Gayle who was deputizing for Cliff Roye at the toss and decided to bat first much to the dissatisfaction of fans in the park that were already sensing on early day and was calling for Lions to make the Round Robin Champions have a bat.

The fear spectators had soon became an actuality as Andre Hooper and George Adams who was clearly just going though his motion ran havoc on an inferior Lions batting restricting them to a partly  25 in 80 minutes of derogatory batting from 14.4 overs.  Six Lions batsmen fail to trouble the score with captain Waysome batting at number 9 scoring with 9 and had the distinction of hitting the only boundary of the innings a six off Gayle over long-on while extras top score with 10 (5wd 3b 1lb 1nb). Wickets fell at 5, 5, 6, 9, 9, 10, 15, 18, 25 and 25 as 7 batsmen with bowled.

Bowling for Villagers: Hooper 3 for 7 from 6 overs, Adams 5 for 7 from 6 overs, Gayle 1 for 7 from 1.4 overs and Cuthbert Mendonca 1 for 0 from 1 over.

Villagers opening bowlers Hooper and Adams were both promoted to open the batting and with the sweet smelling food from Villagers club member and top cook Mamma Cutie taking over the park both men seems in a hurry to get back to pavilion to partake.  It took them 20 balls to complete the inevitable both unbeaten on 14. Adams continued to show his power finishing the game with 2 tremendous hit over wide long-on for the maximum.  Clint Wiseman finished with 0 for 16 from 2 overs and Waysome 0 for 13 from 1.2 overs.

Final score Lions CC 25 all out from 14.4 overs and Villagers CC 29 without loss in 3.2 overs.

Villagers have now won 14 from 14 in 2013 and are waiting to conform if that’s a record winning streak for NYMCL competition to add with their record 303 in the finals and dismissing a team for 25 which is the lowest score on record.

Progressive VS Spice Island at Canarsie Park
In a game reduced to 30 overs per team because of a late start due to the unavailability of the field earlier, Spice Island won the toss and elected to bat. Openers Leshon Chitan and L McLeish started briskly and posted 48 in 7 overs for the first wicket before Chitan 19 (26 balls 2×4) was caught behind off Mikial Miller. It was soon 54 for 2 when Miller whose first over cost 16 runs had L. Williams caught by Rodwell  Busgith for 1. McLeish was joined by Gregory Anthony and the pair shared in a 57 runs partnership before the latter went for 32 (21 balls 4×4 1×6) and from 121 for 3 from 17 overs, Spice Island slump to 157 for 6 in 23 overs McLeish in the process making a top score of 65 (44 balls 5×4 2×6) before he was fourth man out bowled by Maurice Powell. David Williams and Alston Lynch chip in with 20 and 22 respectively while Kester Mattheiu was unbeaten on 14 as they finish 206 for 7 from allotment of 30 overs.

Bowling for Progressive;  Miller 2 for 35 from 5 overs, Rowe 0 for 20 from 4 overs, Powell 1 for 52 from 6 overs, Elliot 1 for 38 from 6 overs, George 2 for 34 from 5 overs and Busgith 1 for 24 from 4 overs.

Progressive needing to score 207 at 6.9 runs an over slump to 13 for 2 from 5 overs with openers Dave Hart and Powell both back in the pavilion. Kadeem Rowe and Captain Kevil George both steadied the ship and added 96 in 14 overs. George after bringing up his half-century lost his concentration, skipped down the tack and was beaten only to see the bails removed in a flash to be out stumped for 53 (41 balls 6×4) Rowe 41 (46 balls 2×4)was caught and bowled by  Chitan as Progressive slip to 110 for 4 from 20 overs.

Needing 97 runs from the last 10 overs with 6 wickets in hand Progressive knew it would require the dangerous Dervin Morand to play one of his slash bustling knock he’s known for. Devon Buchanan and Busgith both came and went for 11 and 16 respectively. Still requiring another 21 runs from 12 balls it was still anybody’s game. Progressive took 15 from the penultimate over with the experience Courtney Elliott using all his experience taking the 1’s or 2’s and at times having to calm down Morand who can be rowdy at times with his batting.  After Elliott took a 2 and a single off the first 3 balls it was now up to Morand to get his team over the line, he was put down off the fourth ball of the over and ran 2 runs before heaving the penultimate ball of the inning high over mid-wicket for six and a smile that eluded manager   Jeff James’ face since the fifth over immediately return as he congratulate his players. Morand finish unbeaten on 47 (22 balls 4×4 2×6) and Elliot unbeaten on 11 (10 balls 1×4) a crucial point in the game was the award of 5 penalty runs for a ball that struck a helmet than was carelessly place to the side of the wicket keeper instead of directly behind. Lazarus Morass finished with 2 for 29 from 6 overs and there was a wicket each for Devon Jones 1 for1 18 from 6 overs, Mathieu 1 for 29 from 6 overs, Chitan 1 for 61 from 6 overs, and Antony 1 for 34 from 3 overs.

Final score Spice Island 206 for 7 from 30 overs and Progressive 211 for 6 from 29.5 overs.