Alex Amsterdam MVP For Second Year In A Row

Members of Atlantis Cricket Club poses for a photo at their annual presentation and awards ceremony.

Atlantis Celebrates 48th Anniversary | Photo Gallery
Fast approaching its half-century as a premier cricket organization in the New York metropolitan area, Atlantis Cricket Club – NY recently celebrated its 48th anniversary at the Adria Hotel & Conference Center, Bayside, NY. The club bestowed honorary lifetime membership on two of its long-time cricketing stalwarts; Desmond Alexander Thompson and William “Bill” White, at a dinner commemorating the anniversary.

The two honorees and their wives (L-R) Desmond Thompson and wife Donna, Bill White and his wife Jean.

The event was attended by a number of persons involved in cricket in the New York metropolitan area, including league presidents, members and administrators of the Cricket Hall of Fame, Atlantis supporters and club members. However, the evening belonged to the two club honorees, who both spoke glowingly of their time as playing members of Atlantis and the camaraderie for which the club is well known. Bill White, a former Guyana national cricketer said that he was extremely proud to have played for Atlantis and lauded the off-field community activities of the club.

Desmond Thompson, who started playing cricket at age 13 in Guyana and made his first-class debut at 16 for Guyana Sports Club, is a former Atlantis middle-order batsman who played alongside other Atlantis stalwarts such as Keith Cameron, Winston English, Carlyle Miller, and the late Vincent Mayers. Thompson said he was indeed very fortunate to have had the opportunity to represent Atlantis not only in the USA, but on several overseas tours.

The two honorees nattily attired in their tuxedos, accepted engraved plaques and token gifts from the club they represented for a combined total of 64 years.

This year's honorees with club members and guests.

This year Atlantis had two other reasons to celebrate; having won two T20 championships. One by its Women’s XI in Atlanta, Georgia in May, and more recently the men’s team won the Eastern American Cricket Association’s T20 Blitz Championship in New York. It was the third consecutive T20 championship romp of the Atlantis ladies, and it may have prompted the men to aggressively pursue their own championship title. The Atlantis men’s XI found itself within the championship circles of both the EACA Power 40 and T20 Blitz championship finals, but could only come away with the latter title, having lost to Big Apple Cricket Club in the Power 40 final. Several players were recognized during the evening’s gala event for their outstanding performances throughout the season, as the following list would attest.

MVP Alex Amsterdam collects one of his trophy from Michael Chambers of Cricket Hall of Fame.

MVP – Alex Amsterdam, Most Promising Player – Jamiel Jackman, Best Cricket Player Spirit – Nazim Uddin, Highest Batting Aggregate 40-overs – Alex Amsterdam (567 runs), Best Batting Average 40-overs – Dominique Rikhi (Avg. 65.8 runs), Highest score in a single match 40-overs – Alex Amsterdam (155 n.o.), Most wickets 40-overs – Michael Noble (20), Best Bowling Average 40-overs – Nazim Uddin (13.14 avg. per wicket), Best Bowling Performance in a single match 40-overs – Michael Noble (8-4-11-6), Five or more wickets in a single match 40-overs – Michael Noble 6/11, Keon Lake 6/19, and Nazim Uddin 6/33, Most Economical Bowling Performance 40-overs – Michael Noble (6-2-8-2), Most catches for the season 40-overs – Prashanth Nair (15).

2014 Centurion’s Club 40-overs – Alex Amsterdam (155 n.o. and 113 n.o.) and Dominique Rikhi (116 n.o.), Highest Batting Aggregate T20 – Alex Amsterdam (139 runs), Best Batting Average T20 – Alex Amsterdam (Avg. 46.33), Most wickets T20 – Greg Robinson (7), Best Bowling Performance in a single match T20 – Greg Robinson (4-0-7-6), Five or more wickets in a single match T20 – Greg Robinson 6/7.

Atlantis acknowledged spontaneous financial contributions to its Shevonne Mentis Educational Scholarship Fund from Mr. Trevor Walke of Everest/ACS and Dr. Harrison F. Mitchell, MDPC. The educational fund has made financial contributions ranging from $300 – $1,000 to 27 college-bound students since it was initiated in 2001, and following the untimely death of the daughter of one of its Honorary Lifetime Members Aubrey Mentis, at the World Trade Center 9/11 attack.

Michael Noble poses with his awards.

Atlantis continues to play an off-the-field role in community affairs and will next month donate toys collected to underprivileged children in the New York City area, as well as coats and other articles of clothing to the homeless.

For more information or to make a contribution, please contact Atlantis via its facebook.com page at www.facebook.com/Atlantis or write to Atlantis, P.O. Box 1576, Valley Stream, NY 11582. All contributions will be acknowledged.