Keon Lake struck 44 and then picked up 4 for 32 in Atlantis win.
After getting off to a 3-0 start in the Metropolitan league’s 2017 season, Atlantis stumbled and was mauled by Lions Cricket Club; dropping to a 3-1 record. However, last Sunday, Atlantis roared back into the winning column with a pioneering-like surge over Pioneer Cricket Club at the Roy Sweeney Cricket Oval in Brooklyn, NY. The match was officiated by the celebrated former ICC Test umpire Steve Bucknor, Order of Jamaica, and former USACUA President and umpire Fitzroy Hayles. Umpire Bucknor has officiated in 128 Test matches and 181 ODIs, before recently retiring.
Winning the toss and electing to take first strike, the Alex Amsterdam led Atlantis posted 265 for 6 off their allotted 40 overs, behind solid contributions from the top and middle-order willow wielders. Henderson Blades’ contribution of 52 (3x6s, 5x4s) off 56 balls set the stage, despite losing his opening partner Francis Mendonca (5) with the score on 31. Blades’ second half-century of the 2017 season, would be followed by Randall Wilson’s 38 (5x4s), Ron Andrew’s quick-fire 29 off 19 balls with 3x6s and one boundary. By this time, Atlantis was 192/5 in the 33rd over.
With the departure of Ron Andrew bowled by M. Marques, Atlantis looked to its returning skipper Alex Amsterdam and Keon Lake to make the most of the remaining seven overs. It would be Lake who dominated the final sequence of events, posting 44 not out off 20 balls, with 3x6s and 3x4s in 36 minutes. He was preceded by Amsterdam scoring 30 with 3x4s and 2x6s c. J. Byron, b. R. Batson, along with 16 from fellow USA national teammate Nicholas Standford trapped lbw by Troy Mars. Vice-skipper Treon Forde posted 15, and Extras 36, pushing the Atlantis score to 265 for 6.
The Atlantis wickets fell at 31, 110, 136, 146, 192 and 238. Bowling for Pioneer, M. Marques had 2 for 65 off 8 overs, while R. Batson, G. Singh, D. Chooweenam, and T. Mars each had one wicket apiece. Former Atlantis player Jermaine Horatio was the most punished Pioneer bowler, giving up 34 runs off his 3 overs, and no wickets to show for it.
PIONEER REPLIES
Pioneer responding to a 6.625 ask per over, lost its first wicket Philip Biggs, with the score at eight runs. Biggs’ opening partner Dino Chooweenam would however go on to post 76 off 38 deliveries, including nine maximums and four boundaries, before being c. wktpr. F. Mendonca, b. D. Bourne. It was no doubt a cause for concern, by Atlantis as the all-rounder Chooweenam pummeled all that was thrown down at him. However, with his departure and the score on 106 for 5, and as many as 27 overs remaining, Atlantis would have to find a way to squeeze out a W.
Thus, Atlantis sought to pioneer its way through the remaining batsmen, and before a further160 runs was added to the tins. It would be Keon Lake who reappeared with the ball this time – a wrecking ball, one may add; carving out 4 wickets for 32 runs off his 7.5 overs spell, decisively neutralizing potential threats in Troy Mars, c. wktpr. F. Mendonca, 17 (2x6s); Jahron Byron, c. N. Standford, 5; Renwick Batson, 69 (off 73 balls with 4x6s and 3x4s), c. wktpr. F. Mendonca, and former Atlantis teammate and tail-ender Jermaine Horatio for 4. All the other Pioneer contributions were in the single digit column, with the team’s total reaching 218 all out in 33.4 overs. Only two other batsmen Gavin Singh and Matthew Marques, 15 and 14 respectively pioneered their way to double-figures.
Pioneer’s wickets fell at 8, 31, 78, 102, 106, 133, 186, 191, 197 and 218. Bowling for Atlantis: K. Lake was the pick of the litter with 7.5-0-32-4. Lake was ably supported by D. Bourne, 3 for 50 off 8 overs, and T. Forde, 2 for 33 off 8 overs. Greg Robinson had a poor day at the office with figures of 6-0-74-1.
The 47-run victory put Atlantis back on track with a 4-1 record, as they face Progressive Cricket Club this Sunday at Floyd Bennett Cricket Ground, in Brooklyn. Match time is 12:30 pm.
