Liberty Sports Club last weekend gave no freedom of movement to Atlantis Cricket Club – NY, as the two 4-1 leading Eastern American Cricket Association teams clashed under the threat of heavy downpours at Heckscher State Park on Long Island, NY.
Keon Lake was Atlantis star player hitting 56 and picking up a wicket despite being defeated by Liberty Sports Club.
Winning the toss and opting to take first strike, may have been an attempt to establish the match’s required run-rate, and as a psychological advantage over their opponent, with thunderstorms forecasted. Psychologically, the pressure would be on the team chasing any established total, before the skies opened up. However, any such strategy was not supported, as a quadrant of Atlantis top order batsmen tumbled for less than 10 runs. It was a devastating start to the team’s inning, with the usually dependable Nicholas Standford followed opener Ryan Sukhdeo, both exited with a pair of ducks, and Atlantis skipper Alex Amsterdam contributing only a deuce.
Dwayne Smith, making his Atlantis debut contributed 13, as he partnered with all-rounder Keon Lake, 56, in an effort to stop the hemorrhaging and creating a challenging total for Atlantis. However, with the exception of contributions of 27 and 11 from Kavishwar Bridgepaul and Prashanth Nair, respectively, the Atlantis total looked as though it would not cross the three-digit mark. The Atlantis tail end folded with the total at 125 all out in 39.2 overs.
Ringing the Liberty bells were five of the six bowlers used by Liberty – Sudesh Dhaniram, Andre Kirton, Trinson Carmichael, Terrence Madramootoo and Hemendra Ramdihal, each scalping two wickets. Four of the six Liberty bowlers combined for 42 dot balls delivered. There was only one wide and three byes contributing to a total of four extras.
As the skies shifted from bright blue to light grey, Atlantis’ opponent of the day, like Patrick Henry, sought Liberty over Death, and responded in a very assertive manner, reaching 129 and the resulting victory in just 18 overs, and the loss of only four wickets. The principal architects who moved Liberty to 5-1 for the season, were Trinson Carmichael, 35 not out and Danesh Deonarain, 31, with opener Frances Mendonca, 17 and Terrance Madramootoo, 16 not out, rounding out the double-digit contributors.
In the end, the impending thunderstorms like some of the Atlantis batsmen never showed up, and Liberty left the park with a 5-1 record. It was a fitting six-wicket victory for the Danesh Deonarain led XI, whose cadre of bowlers established the psychological edge, and whose batsmen approached the task with the urgency and focus needed to avoid any intervention by Mr. Duckworth and Mr. Lewis.
Bowling for Atlantis in the losing cause, were Jamiel Jackman 5-0-39-2, with some 20 of those runs coming off the bowler’s last over. Keon Lake and Jermaine Horatio each enjoyed one scalp apiece. There were were 16 extras, including six no-balls.
With the defeat, Atlantis fell to 4-2 for the season, and comes up against Big Apple Sports Club this weekend at the same venue; with rain forecasted on and off during the day.
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