By James Persaud
The end could be close; no I am not predicting the end of the world. I am just recounting on the dry spell of one of softball cricket more successful team. Untouchables have won softball cricket’s most coveted prize before the “Triple Crown” but for the last six seasons they were not able to get even close to a major final.
Andrew Gonsalves will lead Untouchables.
In 2000 when Untouchables won the Triple Crown their skipper was Ed Ahmad. In the 2004 season Untouchables was on fast track to take the Triple Crown again. Their efforts came to a screeching end; when they were ten overs away from victory. On that day on a late summer Sunday afternoon, in the Twenty20 finals a diminutive stroke player, Ravi Mangal stole a very memorable finals for Waves.
Now it’s an all new look team, Ed is back and their most prolific scorer and hard hitting batsman and hero of the 2005 Independence Cup finals, Sunil Panday, however will not be in Untouchables’ uniform, this time around. But times have changed and a new era has evolved, is this end of Untouchables dry spell?
Untouchables have at present one of the best teams in softball cricket, seven of their starting players will be going to the NYSCL 2011 Independence Cup. Their skipper Andrew Gonsalves is in all probability the best batsman in softball cricket at present. Gonsalves performance could have a big impact on the outcome the finals this Sunday.
The Untouchables pace bowling will be led by Niko Seepersaud, Peter Sookdeo, Yudy Shivkumar, Mo Khan and they will be well supported by the spinners Erapalli, Michael and Gonsalves.
Their batting lineup has depth and you can expect the first nine to get into double digits scores. Their batting will come from Ravi, Michael, Gonsalves, Erapalli, Gordon, Prashad and followed by the all rounder’s Khan, Sookdeo and Shivkumar.
Will the Hustler’s energizer stylish and unorthodox opener and the highest scorer in the 2011 Florida Cup, Pooran Beria have his game on? Hustlers will need a big start from their opening pair, Asif Ally will need to put runs on the board.
Kris Sobhai of Hustler.
Is this the week for Kris Sobhai to bring out the big bat? Sobhai has not had a big season so far, one of softball cricket’s best stroke players seems to have loss some “bang” in his game.
Kris Sobhai has been to many finals and always save his best for the big game, should his bat get going you could have a high scoring game. This time around Hustlers will have one of softball cricket more knowledgeable head on their side, Navin Narine. Narine one of the good guys to have on your side when it is a close game will bring plenty of experience. Experience alone will not help; Narine will need to get wickets early to put the opponents in check.
New York Hustlers will be going to the NYSCL 2011 Independence Cup; Hustlers will need a big game to boost their odds as they get ready for the Inter States tournament. The hype building up to Sunday game is huge and Hustlers will need to get runs from all their batsmen, Beria and Ally have been getting runs lately. They will need to get a big all round performance from Javed Alli, Nigel Briglall, Poopie Singh and Nigel Greaves.
Both teams’ sponsors will be on hand, Hustlers sponsored by John Ramnauth and Untouchables by Ahmad Realty. There will be live ball by ball commentary and many other attractions, come early for the best seat in the house game time 12:30pm.