Atlantis’ String of Wins Interrupted By Pearls
The victorious Atlanta Pearls 2016 Champions.
By John L. Aaron
It was always going to be a tough challenge for the four-time Georgia Women Cricket Association (GWCA) Women’s T20 cricket champions Atlantis Cricket Club – NY, because as the defending champion, everyone’s looking to knock you off the block.
The 6th Annual GWCA Women’s T20 Cricket Tournament sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and sponsored by World Financial Group (WFG) was held this past Memorial Day weekend in Atlanta, GA. The tournament featured host Atlanta Pearls, New Jersey Starlets and defending champion Atlantis Cricket Club – NY. Making a special duo appearance at the tournament were ICC 2016 Women’s T20 champion West Indies players Hayley Matthews and Shaquana Quintyne, two of the outstanding women cricketers in the world, and alongside Zimbabwean national Tasmeen Granger and Pakistan national Komal Feroze.
The Barbados Cricket Association generously provided Ms. Matthews and Ms. Quintyne as ambassadors of the sport, and what ambassadors they were – on and off the field of play. However, it was their performance on the field that mattered most, and had the greatest impact; if only on Team Atlantis.
It was the fifth tournament appearance by the Atlantis women’s team, comprising five USA, one Pakistani, and two former Indian national players, along with former Grenada and West Indies nationals Joan Alexander-Serrano and Joy Jones; two veterans who have done yeoman service for Atlantis and women’s cricket in the USA
Atlanta Pearls skipper Claudine Beckford accepts championship trophy from GWCA’s Ms. Shawna Halley.
With four teams slated to compete in the 2016 tournament, and matches scheduled over two days, the table was set for a rumble in the heat and humidity of Atlanta, aptly renamed Hotlanta. The annual tournament has attracted the best of women’s cricket talent in the USA over the years, as well as players from Canada and the Cayman Islands; adding excitement and an international flair. In 2013, West Indies’ current women’s skipper Stafanie Taylor made an appearance as an ambassador of the sport, and played a cameo role on the Atlantis squad, while creating quite a buzz in the Georgia cricket community, with her swashbuckling style of T20 cricket. Her performance made believers of many a gentleman on the sidelines.
This year, the tournament was reduced to three teams as the Lady Strikers struck out at the very last moment, failing to field a full team, thus providing the New Jersey based Starlets to enjoy a bye and move on to play Atlantis and Atlanta Pearls on the same day.
The opening match on Saturday saw defending champion Atlantis up against an enhanced Atlanta Pearls. Over the years, the Pearls barely managed to string together a squad, but boasted players with a lot of heart. This year they brought in reinforcements, making the team a true competitor. The two teams were clearly favored to head the three-team leader board, although the Starlets had experienced and true competitors in Delkash Shariarian, Erica Rendler and Anahita Arora, among others. Led by the experienced and always affable Ivy Mahabir, the Starlets added Chelsea Douglas, an Atlantis member to their squad. Ms. Douglas who was listed as the skipper for the Lady Strikers, would go on to earn her selection to the Starlets, through three great catches – two against her Atlantis teammates.
Atlantis vs. Atlanta Pearls
The opening match-up was well anticipated and Atlantis winning the toss elected to bat. They would go on to post 121 for the loss of just two wickets. Top scorers was Sindhu Ashok (Vice-captain) with 43 not out (2x4s) and Joy Jones, 39 (4x4s). Skipper Samantha Ramautar contributed 15 (2x4s) off 20 deliveries. The West Indies duo of Quintyne and Matthews were responsible for the two Atlantis scalps.
In reply, the Pearls, behind the bats of Hayley Matthews, 37 (5x4s) and Shaquana Quintyne, 33 not out (2x4s), posted a victorious 122 for the loss of five wickets. Tasmeen Granger had a good look and posted 17 (3x4s) off 14 deliveries. Despite the loss, it was a moral victory for Atlantis to have posted 121 and losing only two wickets, while capturing five of the Pearls’ wickets.
Woman-of-the-Match: Hayley Matthews (Atlanta Pearls)
Starlets vs. Atlanta Pearls
Having received a walk-over from the Lady Strikers, a somewhat rested Starlets (some of the players had arrived in Atlanta only five hours prior to the match), took on the “New and Improved” Atlanta Pearls at the same Best Academy Ground in Decatur, GA.
The Pearls won the toss and sent in the Starlets who posted a decent 111 for 4 in the 20 overs. Top scorers were Nivedita Aluri, a veteran from Hyderabad, 33 (4x4s) off 29 balls. Delkash Shahriarian, 13, Uzma Ifikhar, 12 and Anahita Arora, 11. Extras chipped in with 25. The four scalps were shared between four Pearls bowlers.
In response, Pearls raced to 112 and the victory in only 10.1 overs and the loss of just two wickets. It was a comprehensive 8-wicket win with Haley Matthews top-scoring with 72 (4x6s, 6x4s) and supported by USA national player Claudine Beckford with 21 (3x4s). Uzma Ifikhar and Nusrat Mubeen Khan each grabbed a Pearls wicket in the loss.
Woman-of-the-Match: Hayley Matthews (Atlanta Pearls)
Starlets vs. Atlantis
The match-up of the two teams featured several players who had competed in the GWCA tournament in the past and were familiar with the playing conditions.
The Starlets won the toss and elected to take first strike, posting 94 in 18 overs, with the veteran Nivedita Aluri top-scoring with 37 off 47 deliveries, and including two boundaries. No other batswoman reached double-figures. There were 21 extras. The pick of the crop of the Atlantis bowlers was skipper Samantha Ramautar with figures of 4-0-28-5. She was assisted by Zeenat Kauser 3 for 10 off 3 overs, Sara Farooq 2 for 20 off 4 and Joan Alexander-Serrano with 1 scalp at a cost of 12 runs off 3 overs.
Atlantis in reply, reached 95 for 3 and the victory in 17.1 overs. Top scorers were Sindhu Ashok, 29 not out off 43 balls, Joan Alexander-Serrano, 28 off 21 balls (5x4s) and opener Sindhuja Reddy, 12 off 8 deliveries and including two boundaries. Komal Feroze was not out 9. The Atlantis wickets were shared among the Pearls’ Sadia Fazal, Shereya Jain, and Anahita Arora.
Woman-of-the-Match: Samantha Ramautar (Atlantis)
2016 Runner-up Atlantis Cricket Club – NY.
Atlantis vs. Starlets
With the Pearls having beaten both Atlantis and the Starlets, this match-up was essentially a semi-final fixture at the Best Academy Ground.
Atlantis won the toss and elected to take first strike. The ladies in green and yellow would go on to post 147, the highest team total of the tournament, behind the bats of openers Sindhuja Reddy, 61 (5x4s) off 60 balls and skipper Samantha Ramautar, 48 (5×4) off 51 balls They would be the only two batswomen out as Atlantis finished its inning at the 20 overs mark at 147 for two. The Atlantis wickets were shared between the Starlets’ Anahita Arora and Uzma Ifikhar, both USA national players.
Starlets, looking for 148 to clinch their first victory of the tournament, came under a lot of pressure to score runs freely, and the squad folded at 86 for 9 in 20 overs. Opener Erica Rendler, 17 (2x4s) and Uzma Ifikhar, 10 were the only batswomen to reach double-figures, if Extras 34 is not listed as batsperson.
The Starlets were pressed by eight bowlers used by Atlantis, as the team sought to loosen the arms of all of its bowlers in preparation for the much-anticipated final clash against the Atlanta Pearls. Skipper Samantha Ramautar enjoyed figures of 4-0-16-3, Sara Farooq 2.4-0-14-2, with Zeenat Kauser and Nisha Patel grabbing the remaining two wickets.
Woman-of-the-Match: Sindhuja Reddy (Atlantis)
Championship Final
Atlanta Pearls vs. Atlantis
It was Sunday afternoon, and as the weekend tournament drifted to an end, there was an air of excitement in anticipation of the two teams clashing in the finale.
Atlantis lost the toss and the right to decide who bats first, so they were sent in by the Pearls. Runs were slow to come by as Hayley Matthews pinned down the opening pair of Nadia Gruny (making her first appearance in the 2016 tournament) and fellow opener Sindhuja Reddy. Gruny would post 12 off 29 deliveries including two boundaries and Reddy one more than Gruny off 10 deliveries, with a pair of fours.
It was a fearless Joy Jones who sought to get on top of the Pearls bowlers, hitting 36 off 33 balls and including 5x4s, while Vice-captain Sindhu Ashok posted 15 off 19 balls. Thereafter, the rest of the Atlantis order crumbled for a collective 15 ticks, and helped by 15 more ticks from Ms. Extras, bringing the Atlantis total to 106 for 9 in 20 overs.
There was a bit of a premature celebration in the Pearls camp, as it was expected that the West Indies duo would easily erase the 106 smiles from the faces of the Atlantis players. However, the celebration was put on hold as Samikshya Aryal took a stinging mid-wicket catch in the first over from the bat of West Indies’ Hayley Matthews, off the bowling of Sara Farooq with only 8 ticks on the board.
Atlantis joyfully celebrated the dismissal of one of the threats standing between them and the club’s fifth Women’s T20 championship title. However, it was a short-lived dream as the other West Indies threat Shaquana Quintyne raced to 70 not out (8x4s) off 50 balls. She was ably supported by skipper Claudine Beckford with 15 off 24 deliveries. The pair would see the Pearls home at 107 for the loss of the solitary Matthews wicket at the 12.2 overs victory mark.
Joint Woman-of-the-Match: Desrine Cox and Shaquana Quintyne (Atlanta Pearls)
It was a resounding performance by the injected West Indies players and a great victory for the tournament’s perennial bridesmaid team Atlanta Pearls.
Hats off to the Atlanta Pearls for their first championship title, the Starlets for making an impressive appearance, despite many off-the-field challenges, and Atlantis for seeking to win yet another title at the annual Hotlanta GWCA Women’s T20 tournament.
Hayley Matthews was adjudged the Player of the Tournament. A well-deserving honor for scoring 117 runs and claiming 4 for 39 among her many accomplishments in the tournament.
Visit http://cricclubs.com/GWCA/ for the teams, matches and full scorecards.
Atlantis’ skipper Samantha Ramautar accepts trophy from GWCA’s Ms. Judith Skinner.
2016 GWCA Atlanta Women’s T20 Player Awards
Best Batswoman
Hayley Matthews (Atlanta Pearls) *
• Highest score 72 runs
• Total Runs : 117
• Average : 39 runs
Best Bowler
Samantha Ramautar (Atlantis CC)
• Best Bowling figures: 4 overs 5 Wickets for 27 runs.
• Total Bowling figures: 13.3 overs 9 wickets for 83 runs.
• Economy 6.15
Best Fielders
Sindhu Ashok (Atlantis CC)
• 4 catches
Most Outstanding Catch
Anahita Arora (Starlets CC)
• 1 catch: A one handed catch taken on the boundary
Claudine Beckford (Atlanta Pearls)
• 1 catch: A diving catch taken at long-on
Chelsea Douglas (Starlets CC)
• 3 catches: taken at long-on
Best Wicketkeeper
Sindhuja Reddy (Atlantis CC)
• 2 catches
• 1 Stumping
• 73 runs
Player-of-the-Tournament
Hayley Matthews (Atlanta Pearls)
• All round performance
• Scoring 117 runs
• Highest individual score of the tournament 72 runs
• Bowling figures of
• 12 overs 1 maiden
• Claiming 4 wickets for 39 runs
• Best bowling figures of 4 overs, 1maiden, 1wicket for 10runs
• Economy of 3.25
• Taking 1 catch
Woman-of-the-Match Awards
Match 1 – Atlanta Pearls vs Atlantis CC
Pearls won by 5 wickets. Atlantis CC scored 121 for 2. Pearls scored 122 for 5wickets
Woman-of-the-Match – HAYLEY MATTHEWS. (Atlanta Pearls) *
• Had bowling figures of 4 overs 1 maiden for 11 runs and scored 37 runs.
Match 2 – Atlanta Pearls vs Starlets CC
Pearls won by 8 wickets. Starlets CC batting first scored 111 for 5 wickets. Pearls scored 112 for the loss of 2 wickets.
• With your Woman of the Match scoring 72 runs. Was out when the scores were tied at 111 for 1.
• And she also had bowling figures of 4 overs 1 maiden 1 wicket for 10 runs.
Woman-of-the-Match – HAYLEY MATTHEWS (Atlanta Pearls)*
Match 3 – Starlets CC vs Atlantis Women’s CC
Atlantis Women’s CC won by 7 wickets. Starlets CC scored 94 runs all out and Atlantis crossed their score with 7 wickets in hand.
Woman-of-the-Match – SAMANTHA RAMAUTAR (Atlantis CC)
• Claiming a 5 wicket haul off 4 overs and giving up 27 runs.
Match 4 – Atlantis CC vs Starlets CC
Atlantis CC won by 61runs. Atlantis CC 147runs for 2wickets, Starlets CC 86runs for 9 wickets.
Woman-of-the-Match – SINDHUJA REDDY (Atlantis CC).
• Shared in an opening partnership of 130 runs
• Scored 61 runs
• And had a stumping as wicket-Keeper.
Match 5 – Atlanta Pearls vs Atlantis CC
Atlanta Pearls won by 9 wickets. Atlantis Cricket Club were sent in to bat and post 106 for 9 wicket. Pearls passed their score with the loss of 1 wicket with their Captain Claudine Beckford carrying her bat with an unbeaten 15 runs. As a special mention.
The award for this match will be shared by two players from the Atlanta Pearls team.
• One with bowling figures of 4 overs, 4 wickets, for 11 runs.
• The other player scoring 70 runs Not Out.
The women of the match are Desrine Cox* for those outstanding bowling figures.
And Shaquana Quintyne* for a marvelous 70 runs Not Out.
GEORGIA WOMEN’S CRICKET ASSOCIATION T/20 2016 – Team Spirit Award
STARLETS CRICKET CLUB
For the determination shown in each match. Playing with some players injured but still pressing on. And their sportswoman like attitude.
Runners Up – Atlantis Cricket Club – NY
Georgia Women’s Cricket Association T/20 2016 Champions –
Atlanta Pearls
