By John L. Aaron
Everest/ACS maintained a perfect 4-0 record as the EACA 2012 season reached its fourth week. In a match that saw the EACA’s two Zone 1 leaders, each with 3-0 records clash at a windy Bay Park last Sunday, Everest/ACS accepted the invitation to bat first and struggled to reach 145 all out in 35.5 overs. Tamesh Balwant batting at number three was run out after a well-made 43 as the team’s top scorer. Opener Aun Merchant played an anchor role posting 34 before being caught off the bowling of Alex Amsterdam. Other double-digit scores came off the bats of skipper Karan Ganesh 28 b. Keon Lake and Terry Hastoo not out 10.
Tamesh Balwant led Everest/ACS batting with 43.
With 11 extras charged against the six bowlers used by Atlantis, it was the bowling of Atlantis’ skipper Prashanth Nair with figures of 7.5-1-18-6 that contained the lower order of the Everest/ACS batting line up. Atlantis’ opening pair of Greg Robinson and Nicholas Standford despite not capturing any wickets was very successful in combining for 11-1-33-0. Keon Lake got two wickets, while Hugh Craig and Alex Amsterdam each grabbed one Everest/ACS wicket apiece.
It appeared that 145 runs off the bats of Everest/ACS would be a breeze for the Atlantis batting machine at windy Bay Park, and without regular opener Jason Greaves. However, that was easier said than done as Everest/ACS came out determined to defend the team’s lowest opening score so far, for the young season. Openers Trevor Walke and Syed Amin got a lot of movement with the ball, with Syed Amin capturing the early wickets of Henderson Blades and Shawn Mason, both without scoring ad Atlantis was immediately in trouble at 0 for 2 wickets. It would be Atlantis’ wicketkeeper Ryan Sukhdeo, promoted up in the order to open because of a family engagement, who would stay most of the course, hitting 5x4s and 1×6, before being stumped by Everest/ACS’ Tamesh “Cambio” Balwant for a productive 53 at the middle. Other double figure contributors were Kavishwar Bridgepaul, 21 and Alex Amsterdam, 14, with Extras contributing 27, and the Atlantis batters folding at 128 in 32.3 overs, just 17 runs needed in 7.3 remaining overs, and shy of climbing over Everest/ACS to a 4-0 record.
Atlantic skipper Prasanth Nair had figures of 7.5-1-18-6.
The Atlantis scalps were shared almost equally by the five Everest/ACS bowlers, with Zamin Amin 3/35, Syed Amin 2/27, Karen Ganesh 2/17 and Aun Merchant 2/18. Trevor Walke had 1/24, while contributing most of the wides conceded by Everest/ACS.
With a 17 minute rain interruption, it appeared as though the two teams would share the day’s spoils equally, but the skies brightened and the sun shone down on the victorious Everest/ACS. Maybe it was experience versus youth, but in the end of a hotly contested match-up, it was the team demonstrating the greater resolve to come from behind to win, that triumphed.
This Sunday, Atlantis regroups against Liberty at Heckscher State Park, while Everest/ACS looks to maintain height advantage when they stand up against Richmond Hill at Bay Park. All matches have a 1:00pm start time.