EACA 40-Overs Tournament
By Shivnan S. Ramjattan
Prolific star batsman Sudesh Dhaniram produced yet another awe-inspiring knock, second week in a row. His 154 propelled Richmond Hill Cricket Club (RHCC) to an imposing 281 for six from 40 overs, and is beginning to look like an every week scenario.
Sudesh Dhaniram scored his second ton of the season. Photo by Royo Sankar
If such a prediction can be scripted with such A self-determined cricketer, then expect more of the same in the coming weeks ahead. This time the unfortunate opponent was Hillside Cricket Club (HCC) and without the prolific Zamal Khan. Spinners Ramphal Bactowar, Kumar Nandalall and skipper Shameer Sadloo then spun webs around them—for 130 all out in the 34th over, but not before Dhaniram who had the early breakthrough—dismissing both veterans cheaply, Saeed Ali and Harry Heeralall in his third over.
Hillside can only blame themselves— after having a stronghold on the game of which they spilled some eight straightforward catches, with Dhaniram capitalizing on three of those. Ali Shahzad and Jerald Mangal bowled with some accuracy, getting the ball to move away—along with left-arm spinner Dany Soloman, who had some variable turn and bounce—as the RHCC batsmen struggled to 89 for five in the 25th over. Debo (13) chased a wide delivery, Tyrell (0) square-cut to point, Zaheer had a questionable caught-behind , Roopchand (0) and Shameer (26) had their middle stumps flattened.
However, the game took a dramatic turn after the second water-break in the 30th over. A whole new carnage began—as Dhaniram’s bat arched-down from all different angles , unleashing an array of shots all over the park that bears his unique signature and bought up his century with an effortless flick that topped the fence to a cheering RHHC camp.
The scorecard suddenly raced from 152 in the 30th to 206 in the 35th. Death bowlers Bougnarine Persaud and Shameer Rahim delivered their Sunday special—a well-seasoned Mulagatani (Delicious- soup) their six overs combined churned out 94. Dhaniram fell in the 37th over for 154, bludgeoning 14 fours and 12 sixes in a spectacular display. Deryck McDonald (28) and Imran Ali (30) were left unbeaten towards the end of the innings. RHCC wickets fell at: 14, 17, 39, 89 and 225.
Hillside needed their top order to fire, minus Zamal Khan, who had other commitments—if they were going to chase down 281 at 7.35 an over, on a sluggish outfield. That did not materialize ,but the worst was yet to come as both openers were dismissed in the fifth over by Dhaniram with the scorecard on 13. Nedesh Basdeo stuck around with 24, but a few blinks later—the scorecard was reading 60 for six. Ali Shahzad coming in at number six—counter attack and put some respectability to their chase, soon his stumps was pointing in different directions for 40.
Dany Soloman (16) and Shahzad Ahmed (10) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures. As the spin trio of Nandalall (8-0-15-30) , Bactowar(8-0-17-2) and skipper Shameer (2-0-6-2) , extracting turn and bounce cleaned up the lower order. Their final score 130 all out in the 34th over, and giving RHCC victory by 164 runs. Hillside wickets fell at : 12, 13, 45, 51, 60, 92, 114, 128 and 130.
