Francis Mendonca And Richard Ramdeen Takes Big Apple Pass The Galaxy

Eastern American Cricket Association | Scorecard
By Saif Yassin
In the first round of the EACA Elite 10 phase of the Power 40 competition, number two seed from Zone 1, Big Apple Cricket Club, took on fourth seeded Galaxy Cricket Club from Zone 2.

Richard Ramdeen hit a quick 53 that included 8 fours and two sixes. Photos by Shiek Mohamed

Under the bright sunshine of Nassau County’s Bay Park, Galaxy captain Sunesh Wazid won the toss and elected to bat first. They were under pressure early as Telston Johnson had Allon Harmacoond caught for a mere 6 runs. In would walk the prolific run scorer Ryan Girdhary who along with the other opener Vickram Petam looked to rebuild after the early setback.

Johnson and fellow new ball bowler Andre Kirton restricted the two batsmen, preventing them from scoring at a high rate. With Girdhary at the crease Big Apple skipper Zaheer Saffie knew that the cautious play of the Galaxy batsmen would only be temporary so after the 10th a bowling change took place with Francis Mendonca taking over from Telston Johnson followed by Hermendra Ramdihal coming on for Andre Kirton.

The move would pay its dividends as Mendonca got Petam for 13, Girdhary for 16 and Thackurdeen Dhanraj for 9. Ryan Balram got into the action of things scalping two wickets of his own, one of them a result of an excellent return catch from Chateshwar Chandra for 17. Krishna Harricharan and Metray Balgobin saw Galaxy though to their hundred, but too much damage had been done earlier on to allow them to reach a defendable total. They were eventually be bowled out for 126 courtesy of Ramdihal’s picking up the last two wickets.

Inning’s Summary
Galaxy Cricket Club: 126 A.O. in 40 overs (Krishna Harricharan 21 2x4s,  Chateshwar Chandra 17 2x4s and Ryan Girdhary 16 1×4)
BACC: Francis Mendonca 8-1-25-3, Ryan Balram 5-3-16-2 and Hermendra Ramdihall 5-0-23-2

With a required scoring rate of 3.15 required for victory, all that was required by Big Apple was sensible batting by their two openers Richard Ramdeen and Francis Mendonca. Both started out positively, settling in early during their time at the crease. Ramdeen was the aggressor of the two as he dispatched opening bowlers Ryan Girdhary and Metray Balgobin to the boundary. Mendonca looked to play the anchor as he was quite comfortably turning over the strike to Ramdeen and watch the preceding fireworks.

Francis Mendonca struck 51 before taking 3 for 25.

Ramdeen eventually brought up his maiden fifty for Big Apple, scoring an astonishing 44 out of his eventual 53 runs in boundaries. He was eventually dismissed as he pulled a delivery from Yudesh Bissnauth into midwicket only to be brilliantly caught by Girdhary two feet away from the boundary. Once his opening partner had been dismissed, Mendonca took it upon himself to see Big Apple home. He too would bring up his maiden fifty for the year but would fall with only a couple needed for 51 caught off the bowling of Sunesh Wazid.

Ryan Balram and Hermendra Ramdihall each came in and struck a boundary to bring Big Apple to within one run of winning, but Galaxy would have its small moment of glory before the proverbial fat lady sung. Balram was out for 7 caught off the bowling Bissnauth sending in Zaheer Saffie, this was followed by Ramdihall being run out for 4 as Saffie called for a tight single to end the game.

Sean Thompson came in and was adjudged LBW for a second ball duck all before Saffie could score the winning runs by hitting Thackurdeen Dhanraj for 6.

Inning’s Summary
BACC: 132 for 5 in 18.3 overs (Richard Ramdeen 53 8x4s & 2x6s, Francis Mendonca 51 2x4s and Zaheer Saffie 6 n.o. 1×6)
Galaxy: Yudesh Bissnauth 4-0-25-3 and Sunesh Wazid 3-0-18-1

Big Apple Cricket Club will be hosting Liberty Sports Club at Bay Park match begins at 1:00 pm sharp.