By Sham Ali
(Celebrating 46th Anniversary): – Cosmos Kings sealed an excellent three runs victory last Sunday morning when they defeated Next Gen XI at Idlewild Park, Queens. Kings posted a competitive 177 for 8 in their allotted 25 overs. Deoraj Sewanan (36) and Joseph Rajkumar (26) made impactful contributions with a solid 54 runs 3rd wicket partnership before Kings middle-order crumbled, and found themselves in a spot of bother with the score on 119 for 7 in 17 overs.
While this Kings team are in their first season, they have been giving a good account of themselves and this match was another one of the success so far. The energetic Baveshwar Utam seems to be improving with every match this season teamed up with the composed Elijah Ramhajue for a crucial partnership. They boosted the inning with some excellent running between the wicket and in the process stitched together an excellent 8th wicket partnership of 58 runs with Utam getting 28 and Elijah 24, to post a competitive total.
Kings in defense struck early when Alvin Gobin dented Next Gen XI with two quick wickets and Joseph accounted for one wicket to give Kings an early inroad, but the opposition kept chipping away at Kings target. A good 61 runs 4th wicket partnership between Akash Ibrahim and Chatram Panday kept the match in a balance before Captain Abid Ali severed the partnership when he removed Ibrahim (35).
Another good 6th wicket partnership of 85 runs between A. Haniff and R. Muakelall took the total to 165 runs in 23 overs. Captain Ali brought himself back into the attack to bowl his ‘little wrong-footed medium pace with a little drift’ and immediately picked up the dangerman Haniff to tighten the screws and scented a whiff of victory. The experience Sewanan was entrusted with the task of victor or spoils to bowl the last over with seven runs needed. Three off the first three balls with Muakelall on strike, a huge swing and a skier to Govind, match over. Kings won by 3 runs. A Gobin took 2 for 42, A. Ali 2 for 30.
