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Metropolitan Cricket League
By Dervon A. Wallace
On July 22, 2012 a keen contest was expected between two rivals in the Metropolitan Cricket League when defending champion Villagers Cricket Club went up against bitter but friendly rival and many time champions Westbury Cricket Club at Gateway but as it ended the contest wasn’t as keenly contested as Westbury was put to the sword.
George Adams during one of his spell, he finished 2 for 21 from 7.1 overs. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
The powerful Villagers CC led by former Westbury stand out Cliff Roye and includes USA representative Richard Staples (former captain), Orlando Baker, and George Adams along with the young excited and talented all-rounder Rashard “Brookie” Marshall won the coin toss on a sunny afternoon and ask Westbury CC who are led by the experience Barrington McLeash and includes Barrington Bartley and West Indies pace ace Jermaine Lawson to take first strike.
Walked to the crease to open the batting for Westbury were the attacking Kevin Baugh and the more composed Denison Thomas. George Adams open the bowling from the Belt Parkway along with fellow new ball partner Telisman Gordon from the mall end who with his 4 or 5 steps to deliver continue to surprise the best of batsmen with is pace. With the score on 34 at the start of the 9th over Baugh tried one of his attacking shot and skied one to Melroy Kingston at mid-on who took a well judge catch.
Came to the crease was the dangerous Bartley who always seems up for the fight whenever these two teams do battle and up for it was he as along with Thomas frustrated the Villagers attack with a partnership of 112 in 18.1 overs. After a well played 54 with the score on 146 Thomas tried to step up the tempo and was brilliantly caught on the long-on boundary by Gordon off Staples. Thomas faced 76 balls and stroke 4 fours and 1 six, Bartley was next to follow at 157 for 3. Bartley made 63 from 68 balls with 2 fours and 5 huge sixes and from a fairly comfortable 146 for 2 in 26 overs Westbury was dismiss for 226 in 39.1 overs with the wickets going to Adams 2 for 21 from 7.1, Gordon 3 for 38 from 8, Staples 2 for 40 from 8, Ewart Gayle 2 for 30 from 5, Marshall went wicket less from his 8 overs which cost 50 runs and Baker 0 for 29 from 3 expensive overs.
With 227 to win from 40 overs at 5.67 runs an over Villagers who on paper have arguable the strongest batting line up opened with Staples and Kingston. Westbury had pace ace Lawson marking his run-up from the Belt Parkway end and Staples taking guard at the Mall end. A crowd that kept increasing throughout the day was treated to an over of great power hitting from Staples off the first over of the reply bowled by Lawson.
Bowling in the high 80’s Lawson was hit by Staples for 4 huge sixes off the first 4 balls one of which ended up in the parking lot; the over went for 34 with 2 no-balls and a four to end the over. To the dismay of the crowd who was shouting and jumping Staples brief but entertaining stay came to an end when he lost his off stump to one he went back to when he should’ve been forward, he was bowled by St Louis for 33 off 10 balls with 4 sixes and 1 four.
Baker who had a bad day with the ball walk to bat full of confidence coming off a brilliant unbeaten century the previous week along with the ever reliable Kingston continue to pile on the pressure and add 93 for the 2nd and last wicket to fall that of Kingston who was stumped by Baugh off Lewis for 51 from 52 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes.
The aggressive Rashard Marshall stroll to the crease to join Baker and the pair would see Villagers home with an unbroken 134 run partnership, Baker who played the anchor roll was not out on 62 from 83 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes while the attacking Marshall was unbeaten on a typical aggressive 59 from 29 balls with 7 sixes, one of which was a one over the sight screen off the first ball he face from internationally youth team mate Lawson who had switch to the Mall end.
Villagers won by 8 wickets with 75 balls to spare. Lawson 0 for 83 from 5 overs, St Louis 1 for 27 from 6, D Thomas 0 for 17 from 2, Bartley 0 for 29 from 8 with 2 medians, Lewis 1 for 27 from 4, 0 for 26 from 1.3 and Mc Leash 0 for 13 from 1.
Please not we will try to bring you the two semi-finals in the Metropolitan Cricket League live on Sunday.