By Sham Ali
(Celebrating 45th Anniversary – Match #1276 / 20240824):- Cosmos orchestrated a spectacular turnaround against Staten Island last Sunday at Walker Park in this the first round of the New York National Cricket League T20 competition. It was two eventful overs that sealed victory; the fourteenth from captain Devindra Balgobin in which four wickets fell, and then an inspired fifteenth over from Junick Mingo, the Chris Jordan lookalike.
This Staten Island wicket has been a featherbed over the years, and it appeared that not much has changed as it looked to be a good pitch. Captain Devindra Balgobin won the toss and elected to bat, but Cosmos top order missed the opportunity to capitalize on a good batting wicket courtesy of a few loose strokes that resulted in a below par total of 123 runs.
Akeem Dodson, the former US national player, rolled back the years as he held the inning together. He was in full throttle and constructed a mature half-century that later proved to be one of the defining factors in the Cosmos victory.
Dodson opened his account with a neat flick to the square-leg boundary and followed up with a blistering drive through extra-cover. That start appeared ominous on a good outfield, and a placid wicket, however, Cosmos top and middle order found ways of getting out as wickets kept falling at regular intervals, albeit, against a steady opposition bowling attack.
Antanio Rooplall who has two centuries on this ground, and chalked up one a few weeks ago, would rue another opportunity with a mis-timed pull to mid-wicket. Daniel Chunilall (14) then threw his wicket away when he played across a full delivery.
Dodson had to curb his aggressive appetite, and buckled down as he built an inning full of character. He relished on the half-volleys through extra-cover and mid-off, and peppered anything that had a bit of width to the cover-point boundary. He was playing a lone hand and carried his bat for a well played 82 that included 9 fours and 2 sixes when the Cosmos inning closed on 123 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs.
In defense of a below par total, Staten Island lost two early wickets when the ever reliable, Doneshwar Dayanand, held on to a good catch at short third-man and yours truly, surprisingly, took a skier at mid-off. However, Staten Island batsmen kept going at a healthy rate. Dodson followed up his brilliance with the bat with his wicketkeeping abilities when he pulled off a spectacular one-handed blinder off Mingo.
With the score on 106 for 4 at the end of the 13th over, Cosmos was staring down the barrel and Staten Island needed just 17 runs for victory off 42 balls. But like any good contest, it is not the size of the dog in the fight, it is the size of the fight in the dog and this Cosmos outfit had fight, and as such they designed their own destiny with a dramatic turnaround. It was a turnaround that had similar dramatics when the two teams met last season in the same competition. Cosmos bowled out Staten Island for 130. Looking to get 131 for victory, Cosmos were 129 for 3 in 18.4 overs when the unthinkable happened and cricket revealed its uncertainties or Cosmos defined every syllable in the word panic when they lost six wickets for just one run to tie the game on 130 for 9.
On this occasion, the table was turned with Staten Island on 106 for 4 in the 13th over. Only the ‘brave’ but not Daniel Chunilall, would give Balgobin another over after he bowled an eventful 10th over that was loaded with wides and no-balls. He started his second over, the 13th, in much the same way with an above waist no-ball boundary. And then the belief of a never-say-die attitude came in the next delivery when Daniel Chunilall showcased a brilliant piece of inspired fielding that ignited the sparked with a direct hit from mid-off to run-out S. Choudhary (25) off the Balgobin’s second delivery, but it was not before Chunilall had a few telling words to Balgobin at the end of his first over.
A leg bye off the 3rd. The 4th delivery revealed another piece of brilliance when Balgobin turned and darted back to hold on to one of those huge effort catch off a top-edged pull from W. Naizi (7) with Chunilall in hot pursuit, but Balgobin called perhaps in desperation. Chunilall then did his thing again to run out R. Shah (0). Rooplall then waited on the mid-off boundary and held on to a skier. Four wickets fell for one run, 107 for 8, and Cosmos breathe as they turn the barrel around.
Junick Mingo walked briskly to the crease with outstretched hands. This will be my over and his third spell. He trapped Salim Khan with a late in-swinging his first ball. The left-handed M. Ahmed then edged the next ball to Ricardo Sarjoo at short third-man but he was inches short on the dive. Third ball, Rooplall waited at deep cover for a skier, but it hit the tree that is encroached on the boundary, it touched the limb, six. A swing and a miss, dot ball. Another swing came off the meat and it went low and swerving away from the man at deep mid-on, but in one of those hold-your-breath moment young Alvin Gobin was waiting and ready. He got hands like a bucket, and made a difficult catch looked so easy taking it to his right at waist height as if he can take that in his sleep. Excellent catch young man in a pressure situation to give Cosmos a hard-fought victory by 10 runs.
Cosmos will play West Coast Warriors on Sunday at Baisley Pond.
COSMOS 45TH ANNIVERSARY PRESENTATION DINNER AND DANCE
ALL ARE INVITED
November 9, 2024. at the elegant Liberty Palace Banquet Hall, 130-11 Liberty Ave, 11419.
