Report by Dervon Wallace
Metropolitan Cricket League
By Dervon Wallace
On Sunday September 30, 2012 at 10:30am, Gateway Oval will be buzzing with excitement as the Metropolitan Cricket League approaches its climax when two times defending T20 champions Villagers CC goes up against their nemesis Westbury CC in semi-final 1 of the New York Metropolitan Cricket League (NYMCL) Super4 T20 . It promises to be another mouth watering clash between two rivals. Westbury CC will be seeking to continue their dominance over Villagers CC in trying to win an unprecedented treble after already lifting the Clement “Busta” Lawrence Round Robin and Roy Sweeney Challenge Cup trophies where on both occasion they got over the hurdle in the form of Villagers CC in the Round Robin semi-final and most recently in the Challenge Cup final, both games were evenly contested as both teams were in with a shout all the way to the final over.
Westbury CC who enters the game as slight favorite will once again be led by the veteran Ballister McLeash and should include USA international Barrington Bartley, former Windward Island and West Indies youth all-rounder Dennison Thomas, West Indies test player Jermaine Lawson, Clinton Lewis, Kevin Baugh, Javein Thomas, Linden St. Louis and others while Villagers CC will be led by former Westbury middle order batsman Cliff Roye with the likes of former USA captain Richard Staple, current USA middle order batsman Rashard Marshall, Garfield Wildman, Donald Bennett, Melroy Kingston, George Adams, Talisman Gordon and company. The winner will travel west to Floyd Bennett Cricket Field to contest the final against the winner of semi-final 2.
Semi-final 2 at Floyd Bennett Cricket Field
It will be a repeat of the Round Robin Final between Progressive CC and Cosmos CC in which Progressive CC were the victors after earlier been crushed by 10 wickets in the preliminary round by the youthful Cosmos CC. Having shared the spoils one a piece in their two meetings this season it will be a much anticipated matchup between two of the power houses of the NYMCL.
Progressive CC who is co-defending champions will be led by Kelvin George with the likes of former Windward Island player John Sylvester, Mikey Alexis, Kadeem Rowe, Dervin Morand, Lloyd Rattary, Maurice Powell, Towan Henry and others while Cosmos CC will be led by Ricky Kissoon with the veteran pair of Sham Ali and Sohan Dass along with the youths which includes the hard hitting Faisal Taj, Ashan Riaz, Sajib Salam, Haraldo Marshal and others. Game time is 10:30 am.