Victorious Bedessee Destroyers poses with winning trophy. Photos by Shiek Mohamed
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Pak New York T20 trophy
By Dervon Wallace
Bedessee Destroyers defeated Punjab Lions by 4 wickets with 6 balls remaining to claim the SA Sports, Rana Mohammad Hussain Pak New York T20 trophy at Marine Park on Sunday October 14, 2012. Scores in the game: Punjab Lions 95 for 9 from 20 allotted overs and Bedessee Destroyers 96 for 6 from 19 overs.
Bedessee Destroyers skipper Andre Kirton (left) collects the winning trophy from sponsor Rana Mohammad Hussain (right).
On a cool and sunny fall afternoon with temperatures fluctuating between the high 60’s and low 70’s Punjab Lions skipper won the toss and decided to take first strike. Bedessee Destroyers been led by former USA youth player Andre Kirton decided to open the bowling with spin in the form of Keon Lake but it was the fantastic fielding of Barrington Bartley that provided the breakthrough after only 4 balls when he chase a ball from backward point down to third man and provided one of his bullet left arm return to wicket keeper Quasen Alfred who broke the stumps to find Omar Farooq short for a duck without facing a ball with the score on 6 having completed 2 runs and while attempting a 3rd probable unaware of Bartley’s lethal returns on any given day from the deep.
The Lions never recover from this start as Destroyers 5 prang spin attack provided some discipline bowling and ably supported by some good fielding by a formidable line up and well marshaled by skipper Kirton. Opener Bilal top score for the Lions with 26 from 35 balls (2×4) and was supported by W. Aktar with 15 from 24 balls with 1×4 and the only 6 of the inning, I. Maqhar (1×4), Adam Nasim and Zafer Khan (1×4) all made 11 from 23, 10 and 6 balls respectively. Left arm orthodox Twain Walter was the pick up the bowlers finishing with 3 for 25 from 4 overs, he was supported by Lake with 2 for 17 from 4 overs and there was a wicket apiece for left arm orthodox Kirton and Bartley.
Needing 96 to win from 20 overs at 4.8 runs per over Destroyers got to their target thanks to a top score of 42 from USA senior representative Alfred (4×4 & 1×6) who open the inning and face 35 balls. The run chase wasn’t as easy sailing as the final result suggested and was evident on the face of Coach Linden Frazer and the Destroyers players in their dugout. It took cool heads from Zaheer Saffie 14* from 20 balls and a captain’s knock from Kirton with 18* from 19 balls who cool the nerves of his coach when he hike a ball over long-on for a maximum to bring the score within 2.
For this victory Bedessee Destroyers pocketed $2000 along with the Pak New York T20 trophy and their 11 players received a winner’s trophies of their own while Punjab Loins received $1000 to go along with the Pak New York T20 runner up trophy and their 11 players received runners up trophies of their own. Quasen Alfred and Bilal Ahmed received a bat from the sponsors for their outstanding batting throughout the tournament.