By Sham Ali
A brilliant century by Michael Pusey fused together with a dogged 87 from Terry Wells produced a massive 193-run third wicket partnership that ultimately gave Crusaders the foundation to stand and raised the 2010 Masters Championship crown over Everest on a warm October day at the well manicured Idlewild Park, Queens on Oct. 9th.
Michael Pusey struck his thrid ton of the season. (Photos by Shiek Mohamed)
Masters officials Austin Hutchinson and Sam Belnavis greeted the two teams before the start of the match to express their satisfaction of the spirit in which the competition was played throughout the season. Hutchinson then cited that the season was very competitive and commended the two teams on their run to the final and is looking forward to a good game today. He then reminded the boys that the cricket will always rise above everyone and that respect and decency must not be overshadowed by loose tongue and that the masters’ cricket is a fun loving environment, he then asked for a moment of silence for some of our colleagues who have retired to a better place.
The match got underway when Everest won the toss and asked Crusaders to take first strike. After ‘Feezo’ Sheriff (2 for 27) sent back both openers, with the score on 23 for 2, he pulled a groin something in his fourth over. Trevor Walke then had a confident appeal turned down from the first his ball to Wells and Sham against Pusey before he too pulled groin number two sliding at point after bowling just one over. Pusey and Wells then buckled down at the crease. The battle lines were clearly drawn between these two teams in this final and captain Zamin Amin had was handed more than he had bargain for so early in the match. Imran Ali held a steady line with his left arm orthodox spin, he was ably supported by Sohan Dass and Lincoln Deonarine as Amin rotated his bowlers. Everest had chosen the wrong match to spill vital catches in the field, but that has been the story all season with the masters’ teams, however, Everest paid the price in this final.
There is no shortage of experience in this Masters competition, and that is just the ingredient that Pusey and Wells used to season this final and entertained the crowd on hand. These two ‘old men’ with young legs batted like cricketers in their prime. They began to lay a foundation for their team one brick/run at a time and showcased a clinic of how to run between the wickets- some of the Masters spectators’ legs got tired by just looking at this pair running between the wickets, could you imagine how Everest Masters felt? In the process this pair had constructed a masterful partnership that would matched any that has ever been seen at this ground in any level of the game.
Terry Wells contributed a sterling 87 not out.
When Pusey raised his bat to acknowledge a masterful century – his third in the competition – he had stroked just three boundaries (2-4’s; 1-6), a testament of this concentration and the signature of a ‘hardcore’ batsman of yesteryear. When his inning closed on 103 runs, he had overshadowed his silence partner, Wells, who was equal to the task with a gritty 87 runs. With this pair resistance against the Everest attack, Everest had backed their batting line up on a possible 220 or so, however a few late blows in the last three overs had exceeded that threshold as Crusaders played themselves in a commanding position when their inning ended on a formidable 240 for 4 in their allotted 35 overs.
Everest had a mountain to climb. Ganesh Ramsingh and Royo Sankar began their inning rather circumspect but then picked up the rate to a comfortable 93 without loss at the break and this match was shaping for a fight to the end. Everest needed a big inning from their top order at this stage of the match to give themselves a real chance of challenging the opposition total, and Just as the inning was beginning to gain some momentum, Ramsingh (45) dragged a short ball onto his stump. The hard hitting Imran Ali then drove loosely to cover. Wayne Stuger was run out when he ambled for a second run to deep mid on. When captain Amin who has had an outstanding season with the bat and led his team well throughout the season, dragged the part time off spinner E. James onto his stumps, and Sankar (49) dabbed a dolly to point, the match suddenly swung dramatically.
Everest Masters lost their grip and slipped to 103 for 5 in the 20th over. Crusaders had seized the initiative and sensed victory, unless the injured Sham and Sohan could repeat their semi final heroics. They delivered a little cameo to 140 in the 23rd over before Sham (23) got a ball that kept low. Lincoln Deonarine then sparked the inning with a few lusty blows as Everest breathe again and Crusaders flinched a bit but then they snapped Sohan (24) and Deonarine (16) leaving the Everest last pair to do their thing, and they did.
The consummate competitor, Trevor Walke, had earlier impressed on his front line batsmen to bat positive knowing that the lower order had some power in their arsenal, but Crusaders had blown away the middle order batsmen before they could crank. Walke announced his intentions quite clearly and proceeded to fire on all cylinders. This match had swung once more as Walke made the Idlewild ground appeared small when he latched into four well timed sixes over mid off and mid wicket. With the score on 199 in the 31.2nd over and Walke blazing, anything could happen like it always does in cricket and the Masters season had come alive. Everest Masters can still claim their second championship, but Crusaders held on dearly and was determined not let go of their second title. Walke (26) swung, missed, and cringe in discomfort, he is in pain and cannot bat, he blocked the next three deliveries and that brought an anticlimactic end to a rearguard effort as Feezo, on one leg, did the obvious, he swung, inning over.
Crusaders was humble in victory, Everest Masters was gracious in defeat and recognized that they were beaten by a quality team. Crusaders had saved their best for the last and indisputably turned in a brilliant performance in this final. They had been something of a revelation all season as a formidable opponent and they lived up to their dominant run throughout the season in this Masters competition to tower over Everest and lifted the championship title in style.
The 50-man Masters squad will be heading to Jamaica on Oct 21 – Nov 2, to participate in the Michael Holding Masters Tournament.
