Sham Ali
(Celebrating 47th Anniversary – 20260726. Match #1366): - And the drama continues. If it is not the graveyard pitch at Randalls Island that is loaded with clusters of grass roots that sprouted through an astro turf-like material that looks deceptively nice when the matting is on top, or the jungle outfield at Beach-32 where the ball at times gets ‘lost’ on the grass, or overlapping fields 1 and 2 at Ferry Point Park,  Whitestone where the mid-wicket fielder on one team is standing at the point position on the other, and is exposed to imminent danger, or the six feet wide Ferry Point Park #1 pitch with a slippery astro turf-like cover and  where play is possible from only one end. 

If none of those situations are deterrents to the cricketers, then being under attack by the blood-sucking monster mosquitos at the ‘Mosquito Coast’ at the Rockaway Community Park at Beach-58 takes the cake or more appropriately blood on your hands. It is bad, really bad! Or as bad as a rabbit in the middle of a pack of tigers. If trying to ‘picture’ those situations passes over your head, then picture this, put a table on the field with a white table cloth, and within seconds your will have a black table cloth, ‘mosquitos fo soooo’. 
Cosmos cricket team.

It is not an exaggeration that the cricket ground at Rockaway Community Park, Beach-58 is not only unsuitable to play cricket at this time of the year, it is a health hazard! Here is a what NBC news reported sometime ago. “Mosquito Invasion Sucks Fun Out of Summer for Rockaway Residents.” “…residents of one local neighborhood say they're particularly under siege this year -- and some are so fearful of the blood-sucking pests that they are afraid to go outdoors, even as the most beautiful days of the season approach. At 6:30 p.m. on a recent warm summer evening when school is out and many people are done with work; the Rockaway Community Park was eerily deserted.

“We have a major nuisance problem in Far Rockaway,” says Donovan Richards, former chief of staff to City Councilman James Sanders and current Queens Borough President. “If you don’t have [bug spray], you may not live to tell the tale.” Richards is referring to the amount of mosquitoes that swarm any warm-blooded being who dares to walk, run or play in the park. It's the proximity to Jamaica Bay and abundance of green space that makes this stretch of Rockaway a perfect breeding ground for the summer pest. 

Richards argues the Department of Health isn’t doing enough to combat the quality of life problem the bugs present. He says the councilman’s office is bombarded with phone calls from itchy residents wondering why New York City won’t spray for relief.” And most recently the Rockaway Times reported “NYC Health will be spraying anti-mosquito treatment by helicopter over Dubos Point and Rockaway Community Park on June 8-10.”

While some spraying measures may bring temporary ‘relief’, however, the vampires in black have no time to mourn their ‘lost comrades’, they have their contingency plans in place, to multiply rapidly again laying of 100 to 300 eggs at a time and repeat the cycle every few days. They get organized and ready for their next battle within two weeks. The second you exit your vehicle; you are greeted with royalty. A singing band waiting impatiently, dancing and all. A red carpet is laid out for you and engraved with the letters ‘welcome to hell, a haven for vampires’ Armies of them armed with syringe needles and waiting pas if you are there to willingly donate blood or as some puts it ‘masquita laka man hay budday, them ting dis fat fat, and they gon suck you blood dry dry’.

The lack of playing facilities leaves cricketers with few choices, and the majority of cricketers will go wherever cricket takes them. We headed for Beach-58 to play a friendly match since our match against NY Storm at Beach-32 was forfeited, and the Rising Stars v Eagles match at Beach-58 match was moved to Beach-32.

As soon as one gets out of their vehicle, they are covered by large sized mosquitos and any exposed skin. The attack is precise, coordinated and well rehearsed, and they all sing the same tune next to your ear as if to serenade you before sucking your blood dry – the story of life it seems, at times. Cosmos boys just didn’t pack up and leave, we got back into the vehicle faster that we got out and scoot. The band was still playing their zing zing zing tune and waiting for their next meal if anyone dears to venture on ‘their’ sacred territory.  It is an unbelievable situation, and one empathize and wonder how does the people living in the project across the street managed the brutality of such a harsh environment.

Our team ventured over to Drew Park for what turned out to be an enjoyable and refreshing afternoon of tape-ball cricket. Akash became intoxicated by the victories doing his little dance while Azam and Donesh got some serious ‘massage’ from Vian. Esh continues to rack-up wides and Hemraj followed closely behind. Balgo didn’t lifted his bat and looked stunned when the drum sounded baaang! Yogi with his delayed action took a year to bowl one over. Dinesh can bowl but can’t bat. Inzy was an impressive debutant. 

Ryan tried, but did a much much better job with the food, and yours truly pack it-up after the first test and took his rightful spot as a controversial umpire who deducted runs for excessive appeal, arguments and unnecessary beverages. Well, Govin decided to enter into the duck farm business with four laying ducks, and Antanio who too us to his turf with bat and ball and all, lost all five tests and tendered his resignation ‘naamo tape ball’ for him. And just out of curiosity, Cosmos got free points (who cares) since NY Storm did not show up to add to all the dramas of an eventful day.

Upcoming Games:
Sun. 8/2 - 8:30am - Cosmos Youths will play SMS.
Sun. 8/2 - 1:30pm - Cosmos v Empire at Randalls Island