Atlantis Cricket Club – NY once again navigated its starship through the milky-way of Galaxy Cricket Club for the 2015 season. This time in the EACA’s 2015 T20 battle for supremacy among the stars.
Dwayne Smith produced an unbeaten 36 as Atlantis beat Galaxy.
Winning the toss and electing to take first strike, Atlantis lost opener Henderson Blades after a quick-fire contribution of 12, and retiring hurt. Atlantis’ vice-captain Ryan Sukhdeo coming off of the injury list and missing some four matches, was painstakingly trying to find his way back, but departed after scoring a slowly made 11, interspersed with some 24 dot balls. He did however, enjoy a bright moment lifting Galaxy’s Balgobin for a towering maximum in the fourth over.
With the score at 41 for 2, the dependable Dwayne Smith made his way to the middle and helped Atlantis stave off a potential embarrassment, scoring 36 not out (1×6, 2x4s) off 31 deliveries. It would be the backbone of the Atlantis inning, as wickets fell around the attacking young Barbadian-born batsman.
There were no other notable scores beyond single digits in the Atlantis posting of 102 for 5 in the allotted 20 overs. The Atlantis wickets fell at 26, 41, 67, 70 and 77. Bowling for Galaxy: Kieran Krishna had 2 for 25 off 4 overs, while Metray Balgobin, Rajendra Latcha and Dhaniram Seepersaud each captured one wicket apiece for 14, 22 and 14 respectively.
The question on most minds was whether Atlantis could defend such a low total, and the answer was, could they afford not to defend it? The answer was not readily forthcoming, as Atlantis initially struggled to find its stride in capturing the Galaxy wickets, and to emerge victorious. The win said more about the collective character of the team and its desire to win as a unit; than it said about the individual strengths of the players on the team.
With the exception of a well-made 31 from Krishna Harricharran and double digit contributions from openers Randall Wilson, 12 and Yudesh Bissnauth, 11, not unlike Atlantis, no other Galaxy batsman reached double-digits. From a comparative total of Atlantis’ 70 for 4, Galaxy was 75 for 4, but the wings soon began to fall off of the Galaxy starship, with the next five wickets falling back to earth at regular intervals of 76, 79, 82, 83 and 85. Galaxy had plunged back to earth at 85 for 9 at the conclusion of the 20th over.
Galaxy’s crash landing was due in part to some energetic bowling from the six bowlers used by Atlantis to defend the 102 posted. It was a total team effort and some excellent fielding in parts that ensured the 17 run win. Lijo Manvanchery and Greg Robinson were credited with two excellent run-outs, while Ryan Sukhdeo had a fantastic day behind the stumps resulting in three fine pieces of stumping.
Bowling for Atlantis: Acting skipper Keon Lake captured 2 for 8 off 3 overs, with two of his three wickets coming in his final over. Prashanth Nair had 2 for 15 off 3 overs, capturing both wickets in his last over. Jermaine Horatio had 2 for 15 off 4 overs and Michael Noble grabbed one for 13 off 3 overs. Treon Forde and Greg Robinson turned in decent bowling performances, particularly Forde in a hitherto unseen role, emerging from behind the stumps as a change bowler, and delivering 3 overs for 15 runs.
The win moved Atlantis to the top four teams with 15 points each and a shot at the quarter-finals this weekend, weather permitting.