Bedessee Eliminate Americas Cricket Academy In A Low-Scoring Encounter

By Dyon Ravello
Following the twist and turn of scheduling The Bhutto Memorial T 20 resumed with the remaining quarterfinals on Saturday, May 26 at Marine Park. The undefeated Americas Cricket Academy meets the formidable Bedessee Destroyers, while Millat T20 runners up Panthers entertained Jinnah. Upon winning toss Destroyers inserted the Dragons in moist conditions.

Trouble started early when Dellon Moffat swept Azurudeen Mohammed into the lap of Hugh Craig at square leg, 10 for 1. Mohammed and Craig combined again this time to effect a run out, Craig fielding at mid wicket this time to find Lawrence Shoy short of his ground at the bowlers end.

Adam Sandford struck 21 and took 2 for 13. Photos by Shiek Mohamed

The recovery never came as Adam Sanford had Sean Stanislaus leg before without scoring in the fifth over 20 for 3. He was followed by Clain Williams two overs later bowled Sanford 35 for 4. Keon Lake replaced Mohammed and he stifled the batting further inducing a false shot from Javien Thomas caught Romeno Deane running in from long off. Akeem Dodson at the other end looked in good nick as he tried to put an innings together.

Going after Andre Kirton with another big drive he held out to Nicholas Stanford on the long off boundary 55 for 6. Jermaine Lawson batting at 10 put together a cameo stroking two lusty maximum back over the bowlers’ heads as he ended unbeaten on 27, with ACA mustering a paltry 111 off 19 over. Bowling for Destroyers Sanford 2 for 13, Lake 2 for 19, and Mohammed 2 for 24 kept the opposition batting intact.

In reply Bedessee found the going tough as ACA wasn’t about to roll over. Lawson again was in the action as his throw to the bowlers end found Travis Ross short of his ground 6 for 1 the first wicket falling on the 11th ball simultaneously with the fall of the first wicket in the ACA innings. Dragons kept up the pressure and that allowed Sean Stanislaus to induce a false stroke from Stanford, playing across to one outside off, caught at the wicket by Dodson 15 for 2 (3.3 overs), Dragons were 14 for 2 (3.2 overs). Stanislaus then had Mohammed caught at slip by Moffat 15 for 3 (3.5 overs) game on. Henderson Blades then followed a short one from Lawson to offer a simple catch to Thomas at mid on 23 for 4 (4.5 overs) advantage Academy.

Deane batting with Treon Forde put together a 23 run stand which looked like stealing the game from the Dragons, but Deane trying to keep up the moment picked out Prashant Nair running in from midwicket off Thomas 46 for 5 (8.4 overs). It was a day when the big partnerships were few as Forde was bowled Thomas after adding 11 with Shaw Mason 57 for 6.

Keon Lake also was among the runs and wickets, hitting an unbeaten 14 and taking 2 for 19.

Captain Kirton announced his presence at the crease whipping Nair over the mid wicket ropes, but going for another jugular, Williams held on to the catch running round some 10 plus yards to wide long on, 71 for 7  12.3 overs. Two balls later Nair worked Mason’s timber 73 for 8 12.5.

ACA needing just two wickets with a meager 25 runs required for victory did themselves no justice. Lake swept Nair out to square leg, only for D. Ravello to be out of position in front of square on the boundary, yielding four and a missed chance.

Nair pried another opportunity with Sanford looping a catch to wide long on only for miscommunication between Moffat running around from mid wicket and Jermaine Horatio, down his throat to clash spilling the chance. Lake lofted a mistimed drive to cover but a jaded fielder was never in position to create even a half chance.

Sanford then drove Moffat down the ground to find Thomas off the boundary with the chance going into the ropes for four. Sandford then sealed the match with another one of his straight drives this time off Thomas with Moffatt unable to get to firm hand to it; five was needed so the maximum did the trick, Sanford unbeaten on 21, a matching cameo.