Atlantis Cricket Club – NY rolled into battle last Sunday at Brentwood Cricket Ground against East Side Warriors Cricket Club, and quietly unleashed some of its big guns on the hapless Warriors, in the fourth round of the EACA’s 2015 season.
Nicholas Standford struck 115 which included 14x4s and 3x6s. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
It was hardly the Battle of Brentwood, as Atlantis winning the toss and electing to bat first, rolled out its batting tanks, some of whom were conspicuously absent the previous week in “The Cage” against Richmond Hill. The opening pair of Shawn Mason and vice skipper Ryan Sukhdeo put on a 94 run partnership, before Mason was cleaned bowled by Sajjad Ishfaq for an even half-century, including 6x4s and 3x6s. Sukhdeo would follow him with the score at 179 in the 21st over, bowled by Y. Wazid, having contributed a well-played 78 (10x4s, 3x6s).
With the inning at the half-way mark, USA national player Nicholas Standford and national player-designate and Atlantis skipper Alex Amsterdam, continued the battering of the Warriors’ bowlers, by adding 115 and 61 respectively. It was Standford’s first century of the season and his knock included 14x4s and 3x6s. He was run-out in a lapsed moment, while standing still and looking good. Amsterdam’s knock included 10x4s, in the 117-run partnership.
Other contributors to Atlantis’ tally were the hard-hitting Jamal Hinckson, with 51 (6x6s, 2x4s) caught off the bowling of Saud Alvi. Michael Noble made a brief appearance before returning scoreless, and stumped off the bowling of Alvi, while Kavishwar Bridgepaul made 10 before being caught off the bowling of, yes, Saud Alvi. Keon Lake was not out on 10, when Atlantis wrapped up its inning at 423 for 7.
Bowling for East Side Warriors: Saud Alvi had 4 for 54, while Y. Wazid and Sajjad Ishfaq captured one wicket apiece.
In reply to the mammoth total of 424 for victory, East Side Warriors came up 295 runs short. The Warriors lost the wicket of their first warrior that of Saud Alvi for 24 (4x4s, 1×6) off of 19 balls faced, after a patient opening partnership of 47 in the first seven overs. Alvi was followed in the same over by teammates Yasir Nabir, 12 (2x4s) and Usman Rafique, without scoring, bringing an end to a nightmarish seventh over. Fifteen overs later East Side Warriors had added 72 runs, but lost four more wickets.
Keon Lake was the pick of the Atlantis bowlers, taking 5 for 15. Photo by JLAaron
It was apparent at that stage the Warriors had lost their will to pursue a victory on the battlefield, and were retreating, as Atlantis continued to unleash Keon Lake, coming off an upper respiratory infection, and grabbing 5 for 15 off 5 overs, with Greg Robinson 3 for 43 off 8 overs, and Prashanth Nair 2 for 38 off 6 overs. Kavishwar Bridgepaul took three excellent catches, including a brilliant one at mid-on that appeared to stick to the palm of his extended right hand forever, before he closed his grasp. The spectacular catch lit up the Atlantis sidelines, with several persons clamoring to see a replay. Alas, there was none. You had to be there, and in the moment.
Somehow the Atlantis fielding squad showed up at Brentwood on Sunday and did a wonderful job of holding on to six catches (Bridgepaul 3, Nair 2, and Noble 1). The other dismissals were all via the rearrangement of the sticks by very good deliveries. Top scorer for the East Side Warriors was Sabeeh Rafique, 25 off 32 deliveries (4x4s), Umair Tahir, 18, Ahson Qadeer, 13 (2x4s), Yasir Nazir, 12 (2x4s) and Sajjad Ishfaq, 11, with the aforementioned Saud Alvi, 24, were the only Warriors to hit double-digit targets, while helping their team to close out the response at 129 all out in 24 overs.
The gallant East Side Warriors’ wickets fell at 47, 47, 47, 82, 98, 113, 119, 129 and 129, as Atlantis wrapped up its third W of the season against one loss.
Atlantis plays Galaxy Cricket Club next at Flushing Meadows Park, on Sunday. Game time is 1:00pm.
We welcome reports from all clubs and leagues, contact us at usacricketers@gmail.com