First Timer Big Apple Through To Final

The second semi-final of the Eastern American Cricket Association’s 2011 T20 tournament played last Sunday saw Big Apple Cricket Club putting an end to one of the championship winning streaks of Everest/ACS.

Big Apple skipper Zaheer Saffie came through for his club hitting an unbeaten 55 and taking 3 wickets. Photo by Shiek Mohamed

Everest/ACS has dominated the Eastern American Cricket Association since joining the league. But their 2011 season had a change of course as they were beaten by Meten-Meer-Zorg in the playoff final and now losing to Big Apple in the T20 semi-final.

In the game played last Sunday at Baisley Park, (The Cage) Everest/ACS won the toss and sent in Big Apple to take first strike. Openers Rhett Ramotar and Mark Gomes would put on a substantial partnership hitting 29 and 31 respectively. Captain Zaheer Saffie along with his assistant Shiv Ragubar would also produce two solid innings. Saffie ended with an unbeaten 55 that included several fours and sixes, while Ragubar was run-out for a quick 25.

Big Apple would amass a total of 164 for the loss of four wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Zamin Amin was the pick of Everest/ACS bowlers, his spell was 4-0-25-2, and the remaining bowling analysis saw Sayeed Amin 4-0-38-1, Trevor Walke 4-0-30-0, Karan Ganesh 4-0-25-0, Anu Merchant 3-0-32-0, and Shaun Mehta 1-0-11-0.

Everest/ACS chasing a task of eight runs per over was a huge asking, as Shiv Ragubar had openers Anu Merchant and Steve Nowrangilall back in the pavilion for 11 and 1 respectively. Tamesh Balwant pushed his luck when he was dropped and attempted a run, but was run out for 6 by Telston Johnson.

Karan Ganesh and Zamin Amin would consolidate the innings as the pair tried to repair the damage, but Mark Gomes would strike first, having Zamin Amin LBW for 26. Ganesh would continue the resistance but to an end when he was stumped off Zaheer Saffie for a well-played 46.

Everest/ACS would only manage a total of 120, as Big Apple bowlers continued to take wickets at regular intervals and Everest/ACS would succumb to a team making its EACA debut and seizing the opportunity of going after the EACA’s 2011 T20 title.

Zaheer Saffie and Shiv Ragubar ended with three wickets apiece while Telston Johnson had one and part-timer Mark A. Gomes grabbed two wickets.

Big Apple would take on Meten-Meer-Zorg in the final on this coming Sunday, October 16th, at Baisley Park (The Cage).