Defending champions Liberty Sports Club began the defense of their 2015 Eastern American Cricket Association 40-Overs title with a 38 runs win over Gladiators Cricket Club. Francis Mendonca’s 96 runs and Leon Mohabir 3 wicket haul set up the victory at the Seaview Ave and 108 Street ground in Brooklyn last Sunday.
Leon Mohabir (left) picked up 3 wickets, Francis Mendonca (right) stroked 96 to set-up Liberty Sports Club win.
Rain and chilly whether threatened to damper the much anticipated opening day. Early morning showers gave way to sunshine and after some manicure work to the pitch by the host team the umpires called play on a 32 over affair. Francis Mendonca and Anthonio Chan took first strike for the Chan’s Plumbing and Heating sponsored LSC and strike they did. The duo raced #TheBlueNation to 89 inside of the 13th over before Chan was judged LBW. Chan, cruising along stroked seven boundaries in his 38 before he was sent packing off the bowling of Andy Haricharran.
Joined by EACA’s 2015 leading runs scorer, Trevor Henry, Mendonca kept going about with a business-like approach to his inning. Hitting his 7th boundary of the inning, the right-hander brought up his half-century with a fortuitous shot through mid-on. Henry would strike five fours and add 72 for the second wicket with Mendonca before he played one on to his stumps to depart for 32.
Trinson Carmichael, the 2015 league leading all-rounder, joined the proceedings with the overs winding down and added valuable runs. Mendonca nearing his century but selflessly looking to maximize his team’s total in the closing overs held out to mid-wicket on 96 much to his disappointment. The opening batsman’s inning was accented with 12 boundaries and featured some gritty yet explosive batsmanship in damp conditions.
Carmichael’s 21 moved the score along before Andre Kirton and Vijendra Singh sing finished up the LSC total on 213 after the 32nd over. Gangaram Lochan was the pick of the GCC bowlers getting 2 of the 4 wickets to fall.
Run out struck in the 5th over to separate the Gladiator openers with 33 runs on the board. Jamiel Jackman then proved his worth on new ball duties for LSC. Jackman knocked over Shafeek Shah and then trapped Harricharan LBW to reduce the chase to 53 for 3 in the 10th over. Henry kept things quiet at the other end slowly building pressure on skipper Altaaf Habibulla and Aun Merchant.
The Habibulla and Merchant staved off Henry and then Carmichael to put on 38 off 6 overs when the mid inning water break was called. Needing 122 off the final 16 overs Habibulla got past his half-century and his partnership with Merchant threatened LSC’s defense.
The introduction of Kirton to the attack, however, dried up the runs even further. A mounting required run rate and the return of Carmichael to the attack yielded a wicket. Habibulla who had moved to 70 looking to go over the top only found Kirton at short mid-wicket. Two overs later Kirton removed Merchant for 48.
Wiley spinner Leon Mohabir stifled the GCC batsmen to come and removed any hopes of completing the chase. Mohabir came within a drop catch of claiming the club’s second ever hat-trick but had to settle for figures of 3 for 30. Jackman’s 2 along Kirton and Carmichael’s scalp each rounded out the LSC bowlers who featured in the wickets column.
The Rockaway Group of Company sponsored Liberty SC will be back in action this Sunday and are expected to take on the 2015 B-Division champions Falcons Cricket Club at a venue to be announced.
The 2016 Liberty Sports Club is sponsored by Chan’s Plumbing & Heating Mechanical Inc., (917) 257 – 8846 and Royal Empress Catering Hall, located on 122nd St & Rockaway Blvd. Please visit their website www.gmaenterprise.com & www.rockawaycarny.com to support our sponsor. Follow the progress of Liberty Sports Club and join #TheBlueNation via facebook (facebook.com/LibertyCricketClubb), Twitter (@LibertySportsC) & Instagram (@LibertySportsC)
We would like to encourage other clubs to send us their report along with photos, you can email us at usacricketers@gmail.com