By Sham Ali
(Celebrating 42nd Anniversary – Match #1180):- In their quest for a playoffs spot, Cosmos succumbed quite easily on a sticky wicket against Elite last Sunday at Baisley Cage. The desire to play the match must be commended on a pitch where batting was only possible from one end while the bowlers carefully try to find their footing to ply their trade from the other.
Any total could be tricky on such a pitch as batting could be difficult. However, Cosmos made it easy for the opposition’s batsmen and had a rude awakening when they served up a full cart load or two of rank lollipops to the opposition, and paid the price dearly to the tune of an explosive 3rd wicket partnership between M. Persaud and K. Leitch after D. Chunilall had C. Persaud comfortably taken on the mid-wicket boundary by D. Balgobin and D. Palmer bowled A. Etwaroo.
But it was Leitch who feasted on the Cosmos attack after he was let-off twice in the thirties, with ten thumping sixes over the mid-wicket boundary and seven fours for a belligerent 42-ball 98 runs. The Cosmos attack was extremely poor against Leitch who swung at everything for the hills over the mid-wicket region. He eventually died by the sword when he attempted another heave, and was trapped by one of the very few balls from T. Thakoordeen that was pitched-up, in a 116 runs partnership in just 11 overs.
At 133 for 3 after 13 overs, the match shifted gears from fifth to first against an attach that was quite dramatic from that before the break, as Cosmos fought themselves back into the match by removing the remaining seven wickets for an additional 41 runs before the inning closed on challenging 172 all out in the 26th over. Rodwayne Ward was itching to get a bowl at Leitch, but instead had to wait to put a dent in the opposition’s middle-order picking up 3 for 16 in just 5 overs. T. Thakoordeen took 2 for 43 and A. Chunilall 2 for 34.
In their reply, Cosmos struggled through their inning against an Elite attack that was too elite on a wicket that had gotten more unpredictable. Cosmos openers were back in the pavilion early. Yudesh Shivpersaud and Shane Grant showed some fight before Shivpersaud went via lbw, while Shane Grant offered a stony occupation of the crease as he appeared oblivious of the target ahead. Akash Rahim appeared visually impaired while his furniture was dismantled without using any ink as Elite swept up a Cosmos middle-order that crumbled like a nut-crush for just 69 all out to seal a comprehensive 103 runs victory with S. Daniel 2 for 15, K. Leitch 2 for 6, and M. Sultan 3 for 16.