Fireworks Expected In Westbury And Villagers Clash

MCL Roy Sweeney Challenge Cup Final
By Dervon A. Wallace
A bomber crowd is expected to descend at the Floyd Bennett Cricket Field on Sunday September 16, 2012 as Westbury CC and Villagers CC renew their rivalry when both teams meet to contest the final of the Metropolitan Cricket League 2012 Challenge Cup name in honor of New York cricket hall of fame inductee Mr. Roy Sweeney.

Westbury will be eyeing another championship title when they clash with Villagers this Sunday. Photo by Shiek Mohamed

A keen contest is expected as it will be a grudge match in more ways than one. Westbury will be seeking their 4th led on the trophy which in the process would land them the double as they are the 2012 Round Robin champion. Villagers in the mean time will be seeking to get a hand on the hardware for the first time while seeking some sort of revenge as ironically it was Westbury who knocked them out in the semi-final of the Round Robin a few weeks ago and in the process dethroning them as champion.

Spectators should be in for a treat as both teams boost a host of former and current internationals as well as West Indies test player Jermaine Lawson who has a career best 7 for 78 against at the time the all-conquering Australians. Lawson although haven’t been amongst the wickets his present in the Westbury line-up has sent fear in batsmen with his pace in the very high 80’s and might even  has touch the 90’s.

Westbury will be looking to Lawson, the prolific Barrington Bartley along with former Windward Island and West Indies under-19 player Denison Thomas, Linden St. Louis, Kevin Baugh and the veteran quad of Captain Ballister McLeish, Clive Lewis, Devon Campbell and the ever reliable Paul Salmon. A player to watch is young Javien Thomas who has showed a level of maturity this season in realizing his true potential.

Villagers who boast arguable the strongest line-up in the competition will be lead by Cliff Roye who has a group of talented players to choose from with the likes of former Jamaican international and USA captain Richard Stapes, current USA national Rashard Marshall who miss the just concluded USA tour of Malaysia  in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 4 due to injury, the reliable Donald Bennett, Melroy Kingston, Garfield Wildman and Pace duo of George Adams and Talisman Gordon along with veteran leg spinner Ewart Gayle and semi-final hero Cuthbert Mendoza . A player to watch is the lethargic yet talented Marvin Simpson who has 2 centuries to his name this season and seems always up for it when these two teams meet.

Both teams are strong on paper but as Westbury proved in the Round Robin semi-final; it’s the team who execute better on the day that win games.

Game time is 11am!!!