Dennis Evans Slams Ton For Cosmos

By Sham Ali
(Celebrating 28th Anniversary): Opening batsman Dennis Evans stroked a brilliant unbeaten century for cosmos against Suburbia last Sunday at Floyd Bennett Field as the race for a spot in the playoffs intensified in the Metropolitan Cricket League premier round robin competition.

Dennis Evans of Cosmos stroked an unbeaten 104 against Suburbia last Sunday. Photo by Shiek Mohamed

Evans, one of the current  Metropolitan Cricket League Premier opening batsman continued his fine form in the 2010 season after a run of five half centuries, and on this occasion he shifted gears and converted the recklessness shown in his previous innings into a stroke-filled 104 not out on an oversized (90 yds) Floyd Bennett Field boundary. Cosmos batsmen applied themselves around three excellent partnerships with Evans. A solid 58-runs between the opening pair of Evans and Morris Powell (21) laid the foundation. Norman Hutchinson then blazed his way to an aggressive 48 runs in a second wicket partnership that yielded 104 runs, and then an unbroken 85-runs blitz with George Adams (34) in the closing overs.

Evans though anchored one end, he remained focused under the sweltering temperature as he chiseled and crafted his way to a coveted ton. When he leaned, after a few nervous moments of uncertainty in the nineties, and drove confidently for a quick single, he breathed a sigh of relief and raised his bat to the acknowledge his colleagues as Cosmos closed their inning on an improbable 247 for 2 in 35 overs.

It would have required a huge effort from Suburbia if they were to give themselves a chance of achieving their target against a formidable Cosmos bowling attack. The aggressive intentions of their opening batsmen were evident but short lived when Sham Ali swung both openers out of contention to return with figures of 2 for 25. Kevin Darlington’s pace and movement was too good for even a nick. Paceman Robert Brown then replaced Darlington with 1 for 18 while off spinner M. Seeram accounted for two wickets in his first over.

The climb for Suburbia became steeper and at 56 for 5 and the capitulation was as much a consequence of cosmos’s superiority with the bat and reinforced by a penetrated bowling attack. Left-arm orthodox spinner W. Harris took 1 for 13, but when young left handed batsman Marlon  Persaud settled under a skier that took a ‘lifetime’ to return off his own bowling, he ultimately stake his claim also as a useful off spinner with 2 for 4 to give Cosmos a comprehensive 122-runs victory.