Daniel Chuninlal Led Cosmos Charge

Daniel Chuninlal hit a brilliant 87 in Cosmos win over Pioneer.

By Sham Ali
(Celebrating 34th Anniversary – Match #1047):- Daniel Chuninlal led the charge for Cosmos with a spanking 87 runs as Cosmos gun-down the 213 runs posted by Pioneer at Gateway Park last Sunday.

Chuninlal has been one of Cosmos promising young players to emerge this season, and has had a few good starts without converting them into big scores. On this occasion he did as he featured in solid opening partnership of 93 in 9 overs with David Williams. The partnership ended when Williams (30) chased and edged a wide from John. That was followed by a crucial 63 runs 2nd wicket partnership with Kevin Prince which kept Cosmos in the hunt and in sight of the opposition’s target with Chuninlal in control at one end.

A target that was constructed by a good 2nd wicket partnership of 101 runs in 11 overs for Pioneer between P. Briggs and Orlando Kirton after D. Balgobin had removed Dino Chooweenam in the 2nd over. Briggs stroked an aggressive 64 before Williams plucked a well judged catch that was clearly heading over the midwicket fence off Prince to end the partnership. Orlando was next to go for a solid 46 runs with the score on 160 in the 21st over. The veteran Glen Phillips showed some glimpses of his early days with a breezy 33 runs, albeit out of breath, as he and Rako Hallal (22) push Pioneer to 213 in their allotted 25 overs.

Cosmos had been humbled in their chase throughout this season, however, that was not a deterrent for a team that kept forging ahead. One of the defining features of a good club is that you persevere through the years over hills and valleys, and continue to blood young players rather than roping in established talent. Daniel Chuninlal, an Ogle boy, is one of those young promising batsman.

He has been impressive this season, and has demonstrated the ability and determination on occasions, and this match was another one of those challenges in which he responded to with conviction in two solid partnerships. A blistering square cut that smacked into the boundary followed by a dismissive six over mid-on practically summed up the sheer dominance upon which his inning was constructed with eleven boundaries (8- 4’s, 3-6’s). And with a century in sight he showed the frailty in concentration and committed the cardinal sin with a weary push across the line and went via an LBW decision.

With 60 runs still needed to get in 8 overs there was still work to do to cross the finishing line. Jonathan Prince held his nerves as he Sham Ali took the score to 200 for 4, before Ali missed a long hop, but Prince kept his cool and played a little cameo within his limitations and collected three boundaries in the process; a pull to the square leg boundary and a straight drive brought a roar from the boys.

With 11 runs needed in two overs, Alex Chuninlal was padded up and sported a confident smile, but underneath there were a bundle of nerves. However, Prince and D. Balgobin brought calm and ensured that there will be no hiccups. They had and eventful 24th over that yielded a scampering 9 runs leaving two to get off the last over. Hugo sent down a good bouncer, but it was short enough for Balgobin to unleashed a thumping a pull for six over mid-wicket that sealed a convincing victory.