By James Persaud
United Stars reached the finals with a convincing win over Hustlers, but it seems to be too difficult to play two consecutive weekends of no non sense cricket. The United Stars bowlers bowled well but got little help from the fielders, if the fielding was a little more restrictive the score would have been much less, too many run out chances were missed early in the game. In the shorter version of the game like Twenty20 it is important to have good fielding. Now that the season is over, United Stars will have plenty of time to make corrections for the 2011 season. Last Sunday’s loss had plenty to do with their poor fielding and throwing.
New York Softball Cricket League Twenty20 Premier Division champions Assassins.
United Stars won the toss and took the field first; it was cold and windy but with the sun hovering over the field it was still good for playing cricket. And United Star should not use this as an excuse, since Assassins had to field later in the afternoon as the sun made its way into the west.
Assassins opened their innings with Kaleem Bux and Raja, this pair put on 29 runs before Raja was caught off Sadique Kayoon for 10 in the fourth over. Anand Singh batting at number three, together with Bux added quick runs with good running between the wickets. Anand Singh was in good touch and he played a few fluent cover drives, both Anand and Bux piled on the runs as the fielders continue to make fielding and throwing mistakes.
Bux made an aggressive 42 before he was bowled by Ravin Ivan, Eon Ellis joined Anand at the crease and the two brought some excitement to the game with their fast running between the wickets. Ellis was dropped by Manoj Sukhra when he was on 5 and he was also dropped when on 9. In the fifteenth over Anand retired on 44. He was replaced by Frankie Baichu, who faced one ball from Kayoon and loss his middle stump without scoring. Ellis was very aggressive at the crease and hit Samaroo for six, a double and the next ball he moved too far out of his crease and Amar the wicketkeeper made no mistake removing the bails and Ellis was gone for a blistering 17 runs.
Assassins captain Amit Moonsammy poses with winning trophy.
Wahid Ward batting at number six came to the crease and made some big swings, at times he looked as if he was trying too hard and didn’t last long, he was bowled by Samaroo for 4. The Assassins skipper Amit Moonsammy was run out without scoring, Ravi Balli was left on 5 not out and Gary Waithe 1 not out and Assassins closed their inning on 147 for 6 wickets in 20 overs.
Bobby Pahalad bowled late in the game again, as in the semi final and Bhola Pahalad who was in the game and didn’t bowl a ball. I am not sure why if it was an injury, but with Bhola on the field and fit he should get a chance at the batsman. Kayoon took 2 for 20, Samaroo bagged 2 for 21 and Ravin Ivan had 1 for 22.
The Assassins fielders took the field and immediately were swooping on everything like an eagle; Eon Ellis a good leader and is able to get his guys to play hard. Amar Singh and Chris Ramlall open the batting for United Stars. Both batsmen were looking for quick runs; Amar was dropped by Derrick Edwards at short fine leg of Ganesh Chattergoon in the third over. In the fourth over there was a mix up between the batsmen and a direct hit from Ellis at cover point found Ramlall short of his crease and he was gone for 4, the total was 27.
The new batsman was the skipper Ravin Ivan who struck a full toss from Amit Moonsammy to deep midwicket into the safe hands of Anand Singh. Shashi came in at number 4 and looked very nervous and was more concerned if the bowler was bowling wides. He continues to look at the umpire as the dot balls were building up and the run rate was dropping.
Amar drove the ball straight to mid on and Shashi charged down the track, Amar hesitated and then ran, Raja fumble the ball but able to recover in time to find Amar short of his crease as he Raja fell and had to leave the field with a bruised shoulder. Amar was run out for 16, this was a big loss for United Stars, Amar was taking the attack to the bowlers and it is never easy to tie him down for long as he always try to create shots and keep the score moving.
Shashi and Manoj Sukra were able to see their team to the 10 over break without any forward damage.
When play resumed with the score on 64, Sukhra tried taking Chattergoon over the long on boundary and was only able to get it to Ellis on the boundary line. Sukhra was out for 13, he was replaced by Bobby Pahalad and if United Stars stand any chance of reaching the require runs, Bobby would need to stay at the crease.
Anand Singh was named man of the match for his unbeaten knock of 44.
Shashi was next to go caught by Anand off the bowling of Frankie Baichu for 17. Bobby try to hit his way out of trouble, at this point the require run rate was at 10 an over and they needed boundaries. Sadique Kayoon and Bobby tried desperately to keep the score moving but Bobby was compressively beaten and bowled by Baichu for 16. Samaroo batting late in the order at number 8 was caught off the bowling of Baichu for 6. Vickey Dhandraj not a quick runner between the wickets was run out for 2. Bhola Pahalad lost his stump to Bux without scoring. The last man in was Trevor Ramoutar who score 4 not out and Kayoon was left on 7 not out at the end of their allotted overs and a total of 122.
It was a big victory for Assassins and a total team’s effort in capturing the 2010 Tewnty20 championship. Frankie Baichu finished with 3 for 15, Chattergoon, Moonsammy and Bux took 1 wicket each. Anand Singh was rewarded with the man of the match prize for his 44 runs not out and excellent fielding and catching.