Above, New York City Mayor Eric Adams (8th from left) was on hand at Roy Wilkins Park. The Mayor met with the two teams and NYNCL officials.
By John L. Aaron
As the saying goes – Some days, you are the dog, and some days, you are the hydrant. With a depleted squad the previous week, Atlantis suffered a crushing 133-run defeat at the hands of Team United Fighters. However, this past Sunday, they bounced back dramatically to demolish a weakened Empire Cricket Club at Roy Wilkins Park in Jamaica, New York.
It may have been the “Retribution” fixture, as the boys wearing yellow and green destroyed Empire Cricket Club by eight wickets. More delicately, the Empire self-destructed as it crumbled with only an eight-man match roster for a paltry 29 runs in 19.2 overs of the rain-shortened 35-over fixture.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Empire did not rule well, as all eight players posted between zero and a top score of seven runs. Extras contributed eight runs to the 29-run total as the Empire tumbled inside 76 minutes. The Empire wickets fell with alarming frequency as Atlantis threw a six-man pace and spin attack against the Empire, with the spinners proving to be the Trojan Horse that snuck into the unguarded Empire.
The Empire wickets fell at 7, 10, 20, 21, 28, 28, 29, and 29. Dino Chooweenam, Marvan Prashad, Ronaldo Alimohamed, and Kheshram Seyhodan were responsible for the parade of Empire soldiers back to the shade. Each Atlantis bowler contributed to the Empire’s downfall with exceptional bowling figures. Atlantis bowling figures: Dino Chooweenam 6-3-9-3; Marvan Prashad 3-1-5-2, Ronaldo Alimohamed 1.2-0-1-1 and Keshram Seyhodan 6-2-6-1.
With rain threatening to wet the Atlantis “Redemption” parade, Atlantis made light work of the 30 runs asked for victory, but not before losing two hasty wickets in the first six overs. Ronaldo Alimohamed, 10 (1×6, 1×4), was bowled by Samuel Mahabir, and a less hasty Freddy Pestano, 5, was bowled by Mahendra Parsaram. Those were the only two Atlantis casualties, leaving Diquan Murray, not out on 2, and Marvan Prashad, not out on 3, to mop up the win. The Atlantis wickets fell at 10 and 23. Empire’s Samuel Mahabir 2-0-18-1 and Mahendra Parsaram 2.1-0-8-1 were responsible for the Atlantis scalps.
Atlantis’ Dino Chooweenam was adjudged Player of the Match.
The win moved Atlantis to 6-3 on the leaderboard. This coming Sunday, August 11, 2024, Atlantis will face off against 6-2 Meten-Meer-Zorg at Beach 32nd Street Cricket Field, at B 32nd St, Far Rockaway, NY 11691. Match time is 1:00 p.m.