Rosedale Gives Tri-City The Royal Flush Treatment In Clash

Commonwealth Cricket League
Kailberg Field, Schenectady, NY– In what might be the last game played at Kailberg Field, Tri-City lost a heartbreaking, limited 30 over Commonwealth Cricket League match to a the feisty Rosedale Royals by a mere 15 runs on Sunday Aug, 5th, 2012. While past matches in the cozy confines of Kailberg Field have been virtual batting clinics, this game was decided more by fielding and tight bowling than by a prodigious offensive effort.

Rosedale team before the start of the game.

Beneath threatening skies, the visitors from NYC arrived at the ground and promptly won the toss, electing to bat first after eyeing the fast outfield and tight side boundaries. Openers King Mohamed and Gajin Ramgaham strode eagerly to the wicket, anticipating a high scoring affair, in keeping with previous league matches here in Schenectady. After all, in the three prior games Kailberg, teams combined for over 500 runs twice, and would have done so in the third had rain not shortened the match with GS-43.

That was not to be this weekend, however. Tri-City opening attack featured some blistering pace from Theron Blair and John Florent, both of whom efficiently shut down the visitors batsmen after settling down early on. Blair was particularly suffocating with his thundering deliveries, many of which were simply unplayable. Still, the Rosedale batsmen stoically kept plucking away, content with the odd boundary amidst a host of singles, and trying desperately to not give away their wicket.

However, the pressure eventually proved too much, and by the seventh over, Blair scored the first breakthrough, clean bowling Mohamed with a wicked yorker that the Rosedale opener simply couldn’t dig out. Florent decided to join in the fun and promptly dismissed Mohamed’s replacement for a duck and the visitors found themselves tottering on 52 for the loss of two wickets in the 8th over. Poppi Jeewanpersud, a Schenectady native playing for the NYC boys, then came on to steady the innings, batting conservatively in support of teammate Ramgaham as they started to build a decent third wicket partnership.

Fans at the game last Sunday.

Unfortunately for Rosedale, skipper John Persaud and Anil “the Hammer” Sahaman entered the bowling attack and proceeded to frustrate the batsmen with pace and guile. Sahaman broke through first, enticing Jeewanpersud to sky a catch to the sure handed Blair at mid-wicket. Persaud then followed up with a maiden wicket over, dismissing the next batsman for a duck, LBW.

Ramgaham batted on in elegant fashion until the 22nd over where he made the fatal mistake of underestimating the accuracy of Tri-City’s Ray “the Assassin” Cecil. While making his way to the crease for a single, Rosedale’s opening batsman did not appear to be in a rush to make his ground, and Cecil saw the opportunity. He fired the ball like a laser guided missile from mid-off, striking the stumps with stunning speed of a cobra and the lumbering Ramgaham was shocked to find himself run out. His 70 run knock, including 10 fours and a six, was a solid contribution for Rosedale, but Tri-City knew that his was a precious wicket to take.

From that point on, Rosedale’s middle ordered simply tried to weather the storm, but the run rate began so slow considerably, and wickets fell at regular intervals. By the end of their 30 overs, the visitors had accumulated 188 runs for eight wickets. A rather modest sum by Kailberg Field’s standards.

At least that is what Tri-City thought. Despite some decent bowling statistics, including John Persaud’s 2 wickets for 17 runs, Florent’s 2/33, two terrific run outs and some excellent catches, (Abhijit Indulkar’s terrific grab being one highlight), the home town side would find the going a bit tougher than anticipated.

Work is being done on the new pitch at Grout Park.

The Schenectadians decided to open with the tandem of wicket keeper Ritchie Persaud and Abhijit Indulkar. Right from the start, the two seemed out of synch and unsettled by the wily bowling of Sham Suknanan. He was supported ably by some sure handed fielding as the visitors broke through for three wickets in just the first five overs, all caught off Suknanan! Tri- City found themselves under pressure and in need of a steadying hand of their own. Enter one of Tri-City’s founding members, Mike Persaud. With his usual calm, measured efficiency, Persaud began to slowly repair the damage and build a decent innings with controlled and intelligent batting.

Unfortunately, after the loss of the fourth wicket in the tenth over, the pressure began to mount for Tri-City, and Persaud wound up skiing a shot that was taken in excellent fashion by Rosedale’s Yudi Jeewanpersud at deep backward square leg. Rosedale tightened the screws even further with two quick wickets, including a spectacular catch by Sham Sukhnanan of a blistering square cut by Anil Sahaman. Suddenly Tri-City found themselves floundering on 112 with six wickets down in the 20th over.

Still, with 77 runs to make in the last ten overs, and some strong batsmen yet to come, the home town boys were not panicking. The problem was the Rosedale boys weren’t panicking either. After a few dropped catches, the bowlers decided to take matters into their own hands and promptly pinned down Tri-City, restricting their scoring opportunities and clearing out the lower order with an LBW and two clean bowled deliveries from King Mohamed. Ray Cecil finished on an undefeated 38, with 2 fours and a six, and just three other Tri-City teammates cleared the quarter century mark: Mike Persaud with 27, including 3 fours and a six, John Florent’s 24 with two sixes and two fours, and John Persaud’s 25 run knock with two sixes and a four to his credit. Tri-City wound up on 174 all out in 29.4 overs, 15 runs shy of victory.

On the bowling side, Rosedale’s Sham Suknanan was impressive, taking 3 wickets for just 35 runs, but even more so was King Mohamed, who snagged three wickets for just FOUR runs, and that in just three overs. All in all, a terrific win for Rosedale, and a deflating defeat for Tri-City.

Despite some less than sportsmanlike behavior at the end from a few of the visiting players (Ganesh Mohan’s double, middle fingered, taunting salute at the fall of the last wicket was particularly unnecessary and egregious), Rosedale played a hard fought competitive game and clearly earned the win. Tri-City will have to regroup and focus on the rest of their league schedule going forward and hope to meet Rosedale again in the playoffs. This was a tremendous match between two well balanced sides, and the cricket was exciting to watch as it unfolded in the cozy confines of Kailberg Field.

Sadly, this may be the last game we play at Kailberg, as Tri-City has been given permission by the City of Schenectady to move to a new, much larger ground at Grout Park. Work has already been done on the wicket, and it could be ready in time for our next league game on August 19th. Stay tuned to all the latest at https://www.tricitycricket.com or on the Tri-City Cricket Club’s Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tri-City-Cricket-Club/109251374494.

SCORECARD
Tri-City vs. Rosedale Royals
Type: 30 Over Commonwealth League Match
Date: 08/05/12
Ground: Kailberg Field
Toss: Rosedale
Umpires: Zoeb Zavery

INNINGS OF Rosedale

Extras 23 (9 wd, 0nb, 5b, 9lb)

TOTAL: 188/8 in 30 overs

Fall Of Wickets (Wkt/Score): 1/44; 2/47; 3/76; 4/76; 5/98; 6/126; 7/155; 8/157

INNINGS OF Tri-City

Extras 15  (5 wd, 3 nb, 3b, 4lb)

TOTAL: 174/all out in 29.4 overs

Fall Of Wickets (Wkt/Score): 1/19; 2/25; 3/25; 4/46; 5/96; 6/104; 7/142; 8/165; 9/173; 10;174