By Sham Ali
(Celebrating 46th Anniversary – Match #1337: – Cosmos Youths began their 2026 season in celebration of the clubs 47th Anniversary with a convincing victory over NY Storm at Ferry Point Park last Sunday morning.
It was young Govin Persaud, who looked to be a totally different player from his exploits with the bat last season, led the charge with a swashbuckling half-century as he made light work of the opposition’s total after Cosmos had reduced the opposition for 105 runs in their allotted 25 overs.
Captain Alvin Gobin held a firm grip on the match as he maneuvered his bowlers to keep the run-rate under control after Storm had raced to 30 in 3 overs. Ahmad Dodson got the important breakthrough when he knocked over D. DaCosta, S. Ji, and P. Multani. Gobin removed his counterpart, K. Saini with a good out-swinger. At the change, Ziyaad Changah and vice-captain Baveshwar Utam then turned the screws on the opposition to ensure that Cosmos tightened their grip on this match.
Ziyaad Changah struck with his first ball as he got one to turn appreciably into the woodwork of K. Das. Baveshwar Utam seems to relish his role as he produced a miserly spell of 2 for 5 in 4 overs. Abid Ali then picked up two wickets with his little mediums to leave Storm at 105 runs all out.
Cosmos had done well to restrict the opposition to a small total, however, they had a slight hiccup in their reply with both openers, Deoraj Sewanan and Devin Persaud back in the pavilion with the score on 9 for 2. The young Govin Persaud appeared unfazed by the loss of the two early wickets, as he was dismissive from the first ball he faced when it flew over the mid-on boundary. It appeared as though Persaud was in a hurry to finish this match, and he did, he simply shifted gears and peppered the arc between mid-wicket and mid-on with some crisply timed strokes. It was as if he owned that part of the real estate as the ball sailed over the boundary for six maximums.
Vitendra Koomar kept the scorecard ticking along with a patient 27 as he and Persaud stitched together a solid 81-runs 2nd wicket partnership in just six overs before Koomar went with the score on ninety. Persaud then brought up his half-century with a dismissive pull over mid-wicket as Cosmos sealed a convincing 6-wicket victory in 11.5 over.
Cosmos Kings will play Next Gen XI at Roy Wilkins Park on Sunday at 8:30am.
