By John L. Aaron
In a fixture not scheduled to be played in the Milkyway, Atlantis Cricket Club-NY ventured closer than Earth is from the Andromeda Galaxy. Like light years away in the universe, Atlantis was able to get close enough to defeat Galaxy Cricket Club by six wickets.
The match played this past Sunday on Earth; specifically, the Michaellis Bayswater (Beach 32) Park in Far Rockaway, Queens, saw almost 500 runs scored in the 62.4 overs bowled. Winning the toss and opting to face the Atlantis hurlers first, Galaxy Cricket Club openers Akshay Homraj and 2023 Atlantis’ Darius Gopaul took to the middle. They posted 72 in the first 14 overs before former Guyana Under 19 and former USA national wicketkeeper batter Homraj was dismissed for a well-made and aggressive 46 off an even number of deliveries, including five maximums. He was the scalp of Atlantis lefty quickie Dillon Bourne. Gopaul followed Homraj three overs later after contributing 24 to the Galaxy total, caught by Greg Robinson off the bowling of Dino Chootenaam.
With Galaxy on 93 for 2 in the 17th over and the team poised to post at least 200 runs in the allotted 35 overs affair, another 2023 Atlantis roster player, Mbeki Joseph, was taking on all-comers, posting a haymaker 60 off 39 balls with 5x6s and 4x4s. He would, however, fall victim to the bowling of his 2023 vice-captain Kellon Carmichael, and caught ironically by Atlantis’ skipper Randall Wilson with the score at 162. However, not before Galaxy’s skipper Hemendra Ramdihal departed in the 21st over with 23 off 14 deliveries, including two fours and two sixes. Spinner Chootenaam facilitated his departure with an assist from Marvan Prashad.
At that point, Galaxy was still on target to post north of 225 runs at the fall of their fourth wicket (Joseph), and that seemed possible with Zamal Khan’s contribution of 54 off 41 deliveries, including 2x6s and 7x4s. He fell victim to Guyana national player Ronaldo Alimohammed in the 33rd over. Mohammed Choudhury’s contribution of 23 with 2x6s and 2x4s helped Galaxy reach 236 for seven in the allotted 35 overs. Kellon Carmichael comprehensively bowled Choudhury to claim the second of his two scalps of the match.
The Galaxy wickets fell at 72, 93, 121, 162, 200, 227, and 231. The pick of the litter for Atlantis bowlers was Dino Chootenaam 7-0-37-3. Kellon Carmichael had 2 for 48 off his seven overs, and Dillon Bourne and Ronaldo Alimohammed each snared one wicket for 24 and 67, respectively.
Set a task of just under seven runs per over for their fourth season win, the boys in their “Away” green kits opened with Dino Chootenaam and skipper Randall Wilson. The duo posted 33 for the first wicket partnership before Chootenaam was caught by Galaxy’s skipper Hemendra Ramdihal for a quick-fire 27 off 14 balls with 2x6s and 3x4s. The next Atlantis wicket would fall 131 runs and 13 overs later, as Marvan Prashad posted a well-made 64 off 37 deliveries with a 172.97 strike rate. Atlantis was at 164 for two and was cruising at nine runs per over. However, Atlantis’ vice-captain Kellon Carmichel would head for the shade of a nearby tree after posting only four to the tins.
With Atlantis’ skipper Randall Wilson still at the wicket and looking set to make his first ton of the season, having fallen short one week earlier when on 98, Atlantis needed 27 runs for victory when the aforementioned Wilson, unfortunately, fell one run shy of a century. Sayaad Bacchus caught him off the bowling of Mbeki Joseph. His knock of 99 included five maximums and seven boundaries.
Wicketkeeper Jamal Norton joined Steve Roopnarine at the middle, and the not-out pair would bring it home with Roopnarine posting 18 and Norton 16, as Atlantis returned to Earth having registered their fourth orbital win of the season with a six-wicket victory at 238 for 4 in the 28th over.
The Atlantis wickets fell at 33, 164, 170, and 210. The successful Galaxy bowlers were Mohammed Choudhury, 2 for 55 off six overs, Sayaad Bacchus, one for 35 off 4 overs, and Mbeki Joseph, one for 35 off four overs.
Randall Wilson was adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his match-winning contribution of 99 in the middle.
Richmond Hill Liberty Cricket Club hosts Atlantis this Sunday, June 20, at The Cage, located at Foch Blvd and Barron St, South Jamaica, Queens, New York. Match time is 1:00 pm.
