Atlantis was never given a chance to go on an island wide rampage and romp to a league-leading 10-1 this season. It was always going to be a tough match up for the 9-1 Atlantis against the 6-3 Island Wide Cricket Club.
Garey Mathurin who plays in the WICB Regional tournaments picked up 3 for 10. Photo courtesy of Anthony Harris/windiescricket.com
Atlantis did however, have the edge, as is always the case with the team ahead of the pack – the bull’s eye always appear larger on the back of the victor, more so than the vanquished, and in this case it was no different.
Atlantis winning the toss at a breezy Floyd Bennett Cricket Ground offered first strike to Island Wide in the reduced 35 overs contest, and Island Wide accepted. Despite losing Chris Green and Jon-Ross Campbell for 3 and 20 respectively off the bowling of Dillon Bourne, the two batsmen did act as brief bookends to centurion Aldine Thomas, 113 not out off 111 deliveries. An attacking young batsman, Thomas batted out the full 35 overs, posting 2x6s and 13 x 4s. He was aided and abetted by only two other batsmen reaching double-figures; Lebert Serieux, 17, and Garey Mathurin, 16. The other four batsmen each posted six or less runs, as Island Wide closed out it 35 overs at 195 for 7.
The last 55 Island Wide runs came off the final eight overs, as Island Wide sought to go well beyond the 175 run mark. Bowling for Atlantis: Keon Lake 7-1-21-2, Dillon Bourne 7-0-30-2, Alex Amsterdam 3-0-24-1 and Treon Forde 7-0-37-1. There was one run-out.
ATLANTIS FALLS AN ISLAND WIDE SHORT
Atlantis facing an asking rate of 5.57 per over, one would think that with careful application in batting, Atlantis would have breezed home victorious, but the penetrative and tight bowling of the Island Wide hurlers did not allow any such response.
Despite the solid but corn watching growth start of Francis Mendonca’s 44 off 58 balls (1×6, 3x4s) and Suleman Ahmad’s 11 off 24 deliveries (2x4s). The Atlantis batsmen could not convert starts or partnerships. Skipper Alex Amsterdam, 23, and Kevin Darlington with a defiant 10 off 25 balls at the bottom-end, were the only Atlantis batsmen to reach double-digits. All the others were playing single-digit Bingo, as Atlantis succumbed at 129 for 9 when the 35 over curtain came down, and washed Atlantis off the island, with Island Wide winning by 66 runs.
Bowling for Island Wide: Victor Mangal 7-1-27-4, Garey Mathurin 7-1-10-3 and Sadique Henry 7-0-22-2.
Man-of-the-Match was Aldane Thomas for his unbeaten 113.
Atlantis plays Sheffield Cricket Club this Sunday at Floyd Bennett Cricket Ground. Match time is 12:30 PM.