Amjad Khan of Cosmos struck his third century of the season against Progressive.
By Sham Ali
(Celebrating 33rd Anniversary – Match #1018):- Amjad Khan was in his zone once again as he stroked his third century of the season for Cosmos against Progressive last Sunday at Idlewyle Park, however, it was not enough as John Sylvester, the former Grenada nation player, delivered a strong riposte with an equally classy century to take his team to a convincing 6-wicket victory.
It was Khan who lit up Idlewyle Park and led the charge for Cosmos on burned out field and a perfect batting pitch after Progressive opening bowlers had restricted Cosmos to 26 runs in 10 overs as Faisal Taj, the Cosmos lucky charm who is badly in need of a shine, struggled to make contact. Khan’s only score under three figures this season was a half century that came via a run out decision. He is in vintage form and was in no mood to leave the pleasure dome. With Cosmos on 79 for 3 in the 18th over, he and Jetendra Sookdeo buckled down under the blazing to add some life to the inning after the early hiccup. Sookdeo searched in the early overs to find his grove in his first outing on the matting. It didn’t take too long for him to get comfortable and began to stroke the ball with authority as he and Khan began to construct a partnership.
Khan is an accomplished batsman in the US and one who has proven his ability time and again at every level. He may be years passed his glory days and mildly restricted with a few aches on the joints, but his willow continues to speak in volumes. A century to in the opening match followed by a massive 192 not out and now another. On this occasion, he plotted his attack carefully against pacemen, M. Miller and former US pacer D. Forrester who extracted good pace and bounce off the hard surface. Khan was quiet to 50 and then began to up the tempo when he flicked effortlessly over square leg and drove with authority over extra cover.
He is the type of batsman whose stroke-play is deceptively loaded with maximum power and stung in such a lethal way that it is felt by the opposition only when it is too late to recover. He had excellent support from Sookdeo as they combined for Cosmos 150th century partnership when they posted a crucial 4th wicket partnership of 105 runs to take the total to 185 before Sookdeo went for a good inning of 42 runs off 44 balls with 5 4’s. Khan followed soon after for 110 runs off 61 balls that included 10 fours and 4 sixes when Cosmos inning closed on 228 for 7 off the allotted 38 overs.
Progressive looked laser focused in this match and the extent of their dominance evoked memories of a similar run-chase that Cosmos themselves pulled off against Progressive a few years ago. But if Khan’s inning lit up the park and was a gem to watch, John Sylvester turned on a few more switches to brighten the day with some massive sixes that subsequently turned off the lights on Cosmos as he edged away with the Oscar.
It was all Sylvester on show after Progressive had lost three quick wickets. Despite the early setback Sylvester kept his patience intact and waited. He took full advantage on an indiscipline Cosmos bowling attack at the change that were either too full or too short on either side of the wicket. A 4th wicket partnership between Sylvester and Forrester kept Cosmos at bay while the pair grew in confidence and advance without fear. Forrester lend excellent as he who stroked a composed 56 to set up a match winning partnership. Sylvester though looked unperturbed by anything Cosmos threw at him. The Progressive camp were happy in the end to kick back and watch a masterclass from a batsman who was carving his third consecutive century in a brilliant knock to 118 not out off 74 balls that included 7 fours and 7 sixes when the inning closed on 231 for 4 in the 32nd over to take his team to a convincing 6-wicket victory.
Over the years, the contest between these two teams swung like a pendulum and the battle lines were clearly drawn ever since they featured in one of the greatest showdown in the Metropolitan Cricket League finals seventeen years ago, not much has changed since then. They continue to war it out on the field and mingle after the last ball has been bowled as if the results were secondary, even though the two teams knows that the stakes are high and that is quite visible on the expression of Progressive manager, Jeff James, sweating on either side of the result. However, nothing in the MCL can transcribe the respect which the two teams have earned by each other.
Cosmos will play Big Apple on Sunday at Floyd Bennet and Queens United on Monday at Idlewyle Park.