By Sham Ali
(Celebrating 33rd Anniversary – Match #1016):- Sparks fly aplenty and enough to burn away any lingering raindrops that hover over Gateway as Amjad Khan went blitzkrieg on Pioneer after Cosmos won the toss and elected to bat. The Amjad Khan show blast off after a 12 over preview of 84 runs between Faizal Taj and Ganesh Ramsingh. Taj (47) looked much like his usual self (yea right) as he began to strike the ball with authority while Ramsingh (36), still in need of a little oil to loosen the nuts and a little rusty on the edges, used his experience to shore up the partnership.
Amjad Khan hit his second ton of the season, that of 192. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
At 87 for 3 in the 14th over, Khan fresh off his century (118) last week against Lions had some work to do He appeared focused for his new role in Scene 2 of this encounter and proceeded to control the inning with three important partnerships. He counterpunch a 63-run with Karim (13) in 5 overs, a measured 67-run with James (30) in 9 overs, and then blast off to 58-run with Hasib (3) in 4 overs as Cosmos total and run rate began to climb steadily.
Amjad Khan, at times appeared unstoppable when he is in full ‘cry’ and practically commanded ownership of the arc between midwicket and extra-cover as he picked off his boundaries with authority as the Pioneer attack appeared more like an irreparable leaking faucet. Khan was in no rush to leave the pleasuredome, a batsman that is easy on the eyes and quietly brutal at times. And on a rather sedate pitch he gradually plotted his way and made a decisive incision into the opposition attack with a calculated plan in the latter overs. He stroked the leather cleanly and crisply with an air of aristocratic nonchalance that unearths the archives of his record 300 runs in a limited over inning not so long ago.
On this occasion, all the opposition could have done was to throw their heads backwards and absorb the show as he cleared the fences for 15 sixes in an inning that transcribed batting prowess into two simple old school words, patience and technique. There are few innings in the Metropolitan Cricket League that is comparable to Amjad Khan’s on this day as Cosmos raced passed the 300 runs mark in the 31st over at which time Khan was blazing along. His inning lasted for 78 balls that included 29 boundaries, 14 fours and 15 sixes, in his 192 runs not out.
It was the 3rd highest individual score by a Cosmos batsman, the other two being Ashmul Ali 245 not out against Scramblers at Keele Reservoir 1983, and Vinord Woolcock 209 not out against Jamexpol at Floyd Bennett in 2007. It was the 95th century for Cosmos when the inning closed with the score on an improbable 352 for 7 in the allotted 34 overs.
In reply, Pioneer struggled as the Cosmos attack had a bit more discipline in this match and by which time Pioneer had been drained dry and felt the squeeze very early. D. O’Neil managed to get 51, while D. Murray got 28, and M. Ferrier 26, with R. Kissoon getting 2 for 30, K. Eddie 2 for 30, and A. Hasib 1 for 18, before Cosmos sealed a massive 175 runs victory.
Cosmos will play Spice Island next Sunday at Marine Park.