Clement “Busta” Lawrence Play-offs Are In Sight

By John L. Aaron
The 2023 edition of the Metropolitan Cricket League’s Clement “Buster” Lawrence 40-Overs Premier League is winding down with the season playoffs on the horizon, with Westbury Cricket Club maintaining its number one spot on the leaderboard. Atlantis Cricket Club – NY held its number two spot with a comprehensive win over a hapless Island Wide Sports Club over the weekend.

With ten rounds of matches completed so far, it has been a struggling season for the lower half of the league’s roster of clubs. With an unbeaten streak, Westbury has maintained the number one spot with 44 points, and Atlantis (42 points) and Villagers Sports Club (37 points) holding the second and third slots respectfully on the board.

The intermittent weather has had little or no impact on the top three teams accumulating points, even as the rain has affected all across the board, with no significant effect on the leaderboard status. With an 8-0-2 record, Westbury has maintained its lead from Round 1, while Atlantis 8-1-1 and Villagers 7-2-1 have rotated the number two spot at least once. Ironically, the latter two will meet this Sunday as a precursor to this year’s playoff.

WESTBURY CRICKET CLUB vs. SPICE ISLAND CRICKET CLUB
Westbury wins by a 151-run mile.
Westbury won the toss and immediately took to the middle against the sixth-seeded Spice Island.

Skipper Richard Allen, 4. c&b Kenneth Hopkins, was soon back in the shade and Westbury 16 for one. It was a less-than-expected performance from the prolific Westbury batter. No doubt Westbury was not too concerned with the endless batting line-up of the team.

Brandon English, 74 (4x6s, 5x4s), and Carlos Green, 69 (3x6s, 7x4s) dominated the Spice Island bowling following the early departures of power-hitter Horace Porter, 3, and Javein Thomas, 7. Marlon Gardner, 26 (2x6s, 2x4s), got in on the act to see Westbury post another of their 250-plus run totals per inning for the season. With Westbury sticking 253 for eight off their 35 overs on the board, Spice Island would have to pace themselves at seven-plus runs per over to smell a win.

The Westbury wickets fell at 16, 53, 128, 138, 164, 213, 233, and 235. Extras contributed 24. Five of the six bowlers employed by Spice Island shared the eight Westbury wickets – Damien Reid, Kibo Samuel, and Willie Charles each enjoyed two scalps, with Kenneth Hopkins and Curian Edgar sharing one apiece. Devon Jones, unfortunately, was in the expensive column with figures of 6-0-60-0.

Spice Island took to the middle with the mammoth task ahead of them. However, only Gregory Anthony, 30 (2x6s, 2x4s), opener Damien Reid, 22 (1×6, 4x4s), and Devon Jones, 11 (2x4s) resisted succumbing to single-digit contributions, as the Spice Island inning folded at 102 for 9 in 15.1 overs.

The Spice Island loss to Westbury by 151 runs saw wickets falling at 15, 27, 36, 37, 61, 68, 69, 99, and 102. Westbury’s Ryan Bennett had figures of 7-0-39-4, while Juanoy Drysdale posted 4.4-0-30-3. Joseph Brown and Marlon Gardner enjoyed one wicket each in the rout of Spice Island.

Brandon English was the Player of the Match.

ATLANTIS CRICKET CLUB – NY vs. ISLAND WIDE CRICKET CLUB
Atlantis Romps Home Easily With A Nine-Wicket Win
Losing the toss and electing to bat was Island Wide’s call. The men in blue and yellow may have hoped to post a worthwhile total they could defend. However, the Atlantis posse playing in their away green colors had plans for an early exit from the office.

Island Wide was off to a less-than-desirable start losing its first three wickets for just 21 runs. It did not improve as the Atlantis opening pair of Kellon Carmichael and Dillon Bourne ran through the Island Wide batting line-up with medium pacer Sumantro Das mopping up tailender Jerry Brown.

Skipper Kevin Augustin, 21 off 28 balls, including three boundaries, topped the Island Wide batting chart. Lebert Serieux, 11 off 13 deliveries, was the only other batter to reach double figures In the Island Wide total of 46 in 13.4 of the 30 overs late start fixture. The Island Wide wickets fell at 4, 13, 21, 21, 26, 32, 32, and 46.

Atlantis’ Dillon Bourne enjoyed a fiver with figures of 6-0-26-5, Kellon Carmichael 6-0-16-2, and Sumantro Das 0.4-0-1-1 were responsible for the carnage.

Following a twenty-six-minute inning break, Atlantis, with Marvan Prashad and Jayden Higgins, took to the middle. Young Higgings never seemed comfortable against the pace attack of the lanky Island Wide skipper Kevin Augustin, departing for a single tick c&b by Augustin at the 2.1 overs mark. It was a simple lobbed return to Augustin following through.

All-rounder Prashanth Nair joined Prashad with the Atlantis total at six for one. The two would see it through to the end at just 5.1 overs. Prashad, 25 not out (4x4s, 1×6), and Nair, nine not out, were all Atlantis needed to record its eighth win for the season.

The player of the Match was Dillon Bourne.

Villagers Sports Club earned a walk-over from Suburbia Cricket Club.

This Sunday’s fixtures feature Atlantis Cricket Club – NY hosting Villagers Sports Club at Roy Sweeney Cricket Oval at Gateway in Brooklyn, Westbury Cricket Club hosting Lucas Sports Club at Westbury High School, and Spice Island Cricket Club playing host to Island Wide at Marine Park D. All matches start at 12:00 PM.