Big Apple Cricket Club players with family members. Photos courtesy of JDesign Photos.
By newyorkcricket.com special correspondent
Big Apple Cricket Club of New York last Saturday evening held its first annual awards dinner and dance at The Rush Restaurant & Bar in Queens, NY.
Big Apple Cricket Club pose for a photo.
According to Big Apple club president Telston Johnson, “Many people doubted Big Apple would succeed, but here we are celebrating our first awards dinner, the first of many more to come.”
With a bevy of gorgeous ladies all beautifully decked out and in attendance, the outstanding cricketers of the 2011 cricket season strutted across the hall and into a solitary spotlight to receive their well-earned hardware, as Master-of-Ceremonies Carl Bennett kept things moving along with wit and humor.
Big Apple Cricket Club took time out to recognize a number of individuals who were responsible for the club’s first year successes on and off the field. No fewer than 18 Special Awards were presented to individuals and businesses, acknowledging their contributions not only to the club’s success, but the development of the sport in New York.
In attendance at the awards ceremony were Eastern American Cricket Association president Rudy Persaud, new EACA vice president Courtney Legall, New York Region’s representative on the USACA board Krish Prasad, former USACA Executive Secretary John Aaron and representatives from Real Cricket, led by Mr. Raghu Misra, who spoke of the impact of technology on player performance and Real Cricket’s use of analytical video and other statistical formats that measure ways in which players may improve their techniques. Mr. Misra said that he hoped such technologies would be embraced by all players in the near future, because it has already shown significant improvement in player performances, and the technology has been favorably endorsed by former Australian Test player Greg Chappel.
Some of the beautiful ladies in attendance were Annie Sawak, Devi Thomas and Annie Johnson.
The one year-old club won the EACA’s 2011 T20 tournament and currently boasts a number of top-cricket performers in the New York area, including USA national player Clain Williams. In a conversational comment Big Apple’s captain and 2011 MVP stated, “We are trying to take a leaf from Atlantis Cricket Club – another EACA club’s book, and become more involved in community affairs.” Clearly Big Apple is seeking to make a difference as a club and move beyond the more familiar and accepted “team” concept.
The club is in the capable management hands of administrators such as Alfred Madray, among others.
Big Apple Cricket Club 2011 Awardees
Zaheer Saffie (Captain)
Most Valuable Player
Clain Williams
Best Batsman – 40-overs tournament
Some of the Raghubar's family member.
Kumar Nandlall
Best Bowler – 40-overs tournament
Mark Gomes
101 vs Victory C.C. – 40-overs tournament
Sean Thompson
53 vs Victory C.C. – 40-overs tournament
Shiv Raghubar (Vice Captain)
44 Not Out vs Liberty C.C. – 40-overs tournament
Mark “Chucky” Gomes
Bowling Figures 2 for 26 vs Meten-Meer-Zorg C.C. – 40-overs tournament
Charlton Senior
Bowling Figures 4 for 18 vs Everest/ACS C.C. – 40-overs tournament
Rhett Ramotar
62 vs Meten-Meer-Zorg C.C. – T20 Finals
Telston Johnson
Bowling Figures 3 for 17 vs Hillside C.C. – T20 tournament
Narindra Balram
Bowling Figures 2 for 16 vs Hillside C.C. – T20 tournament
Teron Rodney
Best Fielder – T20 tournament
Saif Yasin
Most Improved Youth Player
Steve Raghubar
Most Dedicated Player
Antonio Chan
Best Wicket-keeping Batsman
Theron Blair
Bowling Figures 1 for 22 vs Everest/ACS C.C. – 40-overs tournament
Alfred Madray – Manager
Muntaz Yasin – Coach
Fyad Yasin – Under-15 Player
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES
Zaheer Saffie – Most Valuable Player.
Clain Williams – Best Batsman – 40-overs tournament
Kumar Nandlall – Best Bowler – 40-overs tournament
CENTURIONS
Clain Williams – 102 Not Out vs Enmore C.C. – 40-overs tournament
Mark Gomes – 101 vs Victory C.C. – 40-overs tournament
FIVE-WICKET HAUL
Kumar Nandlall – 5 for 18 vs Liberty C.C. and 5 for 27 vs East Side Warriors C.C. – 40-overs tournament
T20 TOURNAMENT
Rhett Ramotar – Best Batsman – T20 tournament
Telston Johnson – Best Bowler – T20 tournament
SPECIAL AWARDEES
Amber Beckles
Anand Deodat – Rush Sports Bar
Mark Gomes
Annie Johnson
Karan Lall – Cut Master Barber Shop
Shiek Mohamed
Mr. & Mrs. Rudy Persaud
Mr. & Mrs. Raghubar
Nadia Raghubar
Vidya Raghubar
Shem Rodney
Annie Sawak
Anand Singh
Latoya Singh
Manny Singh
Doodnauth Sukhu
Tricia Thornman
Waheeda Yasin
With the host of beautiful ladies lending color and fashion to the evening’s event, Big Apple is well on its way to developing a solid club structure with an appealing fan base of supporters.
