Sham Ali
Celebrating 47th Anniversary –20260830. Match #1390: - Cosmos return to old familiar grounds at Westbury High school in awe of the transformation and beautification that have transpired over the years that lends to a more accommodating atmosphere. A ground which Cosmos had battled some of their fiercest competitors and enjoyed some of their best years of playing cricket in the Metropolitan Cricket League in the eighties and nineties. On this occasion, with a new look young Cosmos team ran into a powerhouse Westbury team and was awakened to some quality cricket. That was, by any measure, a far cry from that which they were engaged in over the last few years, actually, there is very little comparison.
Doneshwar Dayanand (left) and Hemraj Bhimchan. Photos by Sham Ali

Devindra Balgobin did that which he has been doing all season in the New York National Cricket League, led his team with determination and a calm head to the semi finals, and with a weakened outfit for this new venture, the challenges were real. He won the toss and elected to bat, but when he looked around the ‘elements’ were conveniently missing. So like any good soldier he took the responsibility of leading from the front and got padded up to open the batting. Wow, captain doing his thing by taking the responsibility of leading his team.

Unfortunately, when he did so in the last match of the preliminary rounds and again in the quarter finals where he dug his team out of a hole from 42 for 5, with a defining inning that ultimately won the match, he was chastised for it by the usual tainted tongues. At the time, he would have ponder that the collective decisions were honest, thoughtful and purposeful towards in an attempt to weed out some of the indiscipline that have sprouted up from mimi cliqueism. However, it was anything but, and that was met with a level of absolute ignorance that was deafening. It appeared, in some minds, that rudeness and disrespect is acceptable if it is your friend that is committing the act. Sadly, that behavior has become prevalent in this day throughout this cricket community from the top to the bottom, and appeared to be the norm.

We were pleasantly entertained by some of that behavior at our independence match, a behavior which no self-respecting individual would condone, but self-respecting and unruliness don’t often find common ground, and however, nothing should be surprising thereafter. As if that was not enough, most recently, we were again rudely blindsided by similar behaviors from the most unlikely of sources which leaves a lot to be desired. Who knows else is coming down the pipe.  The legend Bob Marley said it best in some powerful lyrics ‘Man to man is so unjust, children. You don't know who to trust. Your worst enemy could be your best friend. And your best friend your worst enemy. Some will eat and drink with you. Then behind them su-su 'pon you…And who the cap fit. Let them wear it’. 

You never know these days in this doggy dog cricket circle where the hand is outstretched looking for handouts wherever and whenever it is available. And oh, just in case you missed it and is wondering, what the hell, well this is recreational cricket in NY for you. I do not want to imagine what would happen if the stakes were a little higher as a dollar. Some things never change, they say. While these issues in clubs created an unhealthy environment, in most cases, it is an ingrained behavior fostered by some who gloat and enjoyed it. So, let’s ignore the mediocrity and mute the noise, and rise above this pettiness. The club has been be better for it on every occasion, but that is a story for another day, and so much for this digression.

On this occasion Balgobin rallied with his team like he has always done.  Ahmad Dodson (9) was looking quite comfortable in his new role but ran out himself when he ambled out of his crease.  Nazim Ally (0) suffered the same. Sunil Narine (0) was undone by an unusual creeper that reared in from wide of the off-stump and crashed into his stumps. Commander Frahan (0) had to retire hurt after he suffered a blow on the cheek that looked extremely dramatic on film, but apparently, he got some glove on it. He is fine, but a helmet at all times is absolutely necessary. Balgobin (9) went via lbw. Doneshwar Dayanand (1) took a blow to the chest and ‘the general’ just brushed it off, he is rock solid you know, he is in the gym pumping iron. 

Hemraj Bhimchan (0) made his debut into the big league and missed a Yorker. The left-handed youth-man Suhail Lalmahamad (0) got a good in-swinger, while yours truly S. Ali (2) took his fair share of the short stuff with some ease on the face of the bat, not sure why. But some unkind souls may challenge their imagination to enjoy the view. Oh, how I wish. It was Sher who said ‘if I could turn back time’. That will never happen so knock yourself out today young man, because this same willow that attracted the attention of a few of these opponents minutes ago, would have landed those short stull on the trees over the square-leg boundary, like so many others did. But this is a new day many many years later. Westbury pace attack was simply overpowering for this Cosmos line-up as evidenced by a paltry 30 in 10.4 overs. J. Brown took 3 for 5, and S. Hackett 3 for 4.

Westbury made light work of a small total but not before Cosmos struck a few telling blows. Dodson in his first over clipped the edge of S. Williams, but the man behind the stumps apparently did not hear, and stood unmoved with no finger movements. In the next over, Narine also clipped the edge of Williams (23), but Doneshwar said that the shopkeeper was asleep (he is taking a lot of shots at the captain). Dodson then bagged three quick wickets with a brilliant piece of swing bowling in his second over.  With his first ball, he pierced the gates and cleaned up the left-handed D. Beckford (8) with a good in-swinger. 

With his second, he picked the outside edge of D. Duncan (0), and ‘lord have mercy’ Balgobin with the glove pulled off a one-handed stunner diving to his right, and hit the ground hard with tremors of 5.999 on the Richter scale. He took a while to get up. Excellent catch budday! Dodson was on a hat-trick but it was not to be. He struck again with his sixth ball when N. Rambarose (0) played down the wrong line to another out-swinger that crashed into his back leg. And for as long as it last, it was a day that defines Cosmos in more ways than one, torrid and rewarding, and enjoyable.   Westbury raced to a 7-wicket victory. A. Dodson took 3 for 7.

Sept. 13 at Canarsie Park
10:30 – Cos v Tropical 
2:30 – Cos v Spice Island 

Nov. 7 – ALL ARE INVITED TO Cosmos 47th Anniversary Presentation Dinner and Dance at Liberty Palace Banquet Hall at 7pm.