EACA 40-overs Tournament
On a rain affected Sunday Meten Mere Zorg (MMZ) Cricket Club made a trip to Lido Beach to take on Liberty Sports Club both teams blooming in confidence after coming off wins in their previous outings. The lads from MMZ knew how important the occasion was since their opposition is the talk of the town and touted as the team to beat. The conditions were sloppy and was expected to give the batsmen nightmares.

Shines Beepat bagged 4 for 8 as Meten Meer Zorg secure a crucial win over Liberty Sport Club. Photo by Shem Rodney

Danesh Deonarine of Liberty won the coin toss and he elected to bowl first. MMZ unit that is being led by the Azurdeen Mohammed knew that he had to readjust his strategies since the game was reduced to a 30 over a side affair. The pair of Glen Meyer and Sumom Bari strolled to the creased with the aim of giving MMZ a solid start. Imtiaz Hassan opened the bowling and was greeted with a magnificent six off the bat of Glen Meyer a few balls later Hassan got his man caught for 8. Bob Persaud stepped to the crease and did not last long as he was caught for a duck. The MMZ camp was tensed and when Azurdeen Mohammed joined Bari, the pair played some glorious strokes around the park applying pressure on the entire Liberty CC.

Both Mohammed and Bari found the boundary on two occasions .Bari was later bowled by New York senior player left arm spinner Triston Carmichael for 22 valuable runs. Mohammed was batting well until he lost his patience and was caught off the bowling of Altaf Habibulla for a well-played 26. Andre Persaud and Shines Beepat joined forces and put on an attractive partnership with Beepat the aggressor, that was later broken when Persaud was trapped LBW off the bowling of Habibulla. Zaaid Majeed joined Beepat but the partnership did not get going as Beepat was caught inside the long off boundary of the bowling of Javed Shakoor, Majeed was bowled by Carmichael. Gangaram Lochan played a mature knock of 18 to give MMZ a decent total of 125.

After a brief break, MMZ took to the field to defend their total. Shines Beepat was given the new ball and caused early damage when he removed both Francis Mendonca and Dilly Killawan in the first over to put MMZ on the front foot. Mendonca was cleaned bowled and Killawan was caught, the aggressive Triston Carmichael who seemed set to play a big innings, played a few superb shots before he was cleaned bowled by the mystery hands of Gangaram Lochan.

Skipper Danish Deonarine didn’t last long as he only managed to score a single run brilliantly caught by the former Liberty SC player Andre Persaud .The hard-hitting Terence Madramotoo didn’t last long as he was cleaned up by Beepat handing him his fourth wicket. Imtiaz Hassan and Altaf Habibulla put on a very fluent partnership putting some panic in the MMZ camp, with Hassan batting freely under pressure. Hassan was later well caught by Andy Mohammed of the bowling of Sumon Bari for a well-played 30. Habibulla was next to go via the run out route .Zaaid Majeed bowled s very good line picking up two quick wickets later in the Liberty innings. Gangaram Lochan replace Majeed and cleaned up the last batsman giving the MMZ boys a well deserve victory.

Match Summary: MMZ 125 all out off 27 overs Andy Mohammed 26, Sumon Bari 22 and Shines Beepat 20. Bowling for LSC Triston Carmichael 2 for 14.

LSC- 88 all out off 27.2 overs, Imtiaz Hassan 30. Bowling for MMZ Shines Beepat 4 for 8 off 6 overs, Zaaid Majeed 2 for 14 off 6 overs, Gangaram Lochan 2 for 15 and Sumon Bari 1 for 29.

With this win, MMZ is on placed on 35 points. The competition is really getting interesting with 5 team dead lock on 35 points.

MMZ will travel to Brentwood to take on a very talented Long Island United team (LIU) this Sunday.