On Saturday, September 24th, Middlesex took on Pak Brighton in the Brooklyn Cricket League Twenty20 final at Marine Park. The match started an hour and 15 minutes late due to a wet pitch and soggy bowlers run up from heavy overnight showers in Brooklyn.
Pak Brighton won the toss and asked Middlesex to take first strike. Openers Mark Audain and Debru Bhattacharya started cautiously due to the difficult pitch conditions. Mark Audain was the first wicket to fall caught on the cover boundary for a gritty 21 when the score was 37, Cassius Burton the Jamaican and CCC player came in at number three and was cleaned bowled for a duck, his first failure of the season.
Debru Bhattacharya was the next to go cleaned bowled by Thir Sadiq for 11, the inform Dominic Audain came and went for 8 cleaned bowled by Thir Sadiq. Middlesex collapsed to 52 for 4 from 11 overs, Tegana McKenzie and Donovan Puss Nelson the former West Indies under-19 player consolidated the inning with an important 87 runs for the 5th wicket partnership. Donovan playing a blinder hitting the ball to all parts of the field, including three lovely and exquisite sixes over extra cover. Tegana McKenzie was the next to go for a responsible 28 when the score was on 139. Skipper Rod Michael came in and produced a quick fire 16 not out, Donovan Nelson was unbeaten on 68 runs (6 x 6s, 1 x 4). Middlesex finish their inning on 176 for 5 from 20 overs.
Donovan Nelson during his knock of 68 not out. Pictured above is the victorious Middlesex team.
Bowling for Pak Brighton, Thir Sadiq 4 overs, 24 runs, 2 wickets, Shahid 4 overs, 40 runs, 2 wickets, Abdul Waheed 1 over, 9 runs, 1 wicket, and Shahwaiz 4 overs, 24 runs, 1 wicket.
Pak Brighton started badly in reply, losing opener Naeem cleaned bowled by speedster Dominic Audain for a duck, Abdul Waheen was the next to go caught off the bowling of leg spinner Rushane Manning for 4. Thir Sadiq went caught wicket keeper bowled Dominic Audain for 2, Nadeem was brilliantly run out by Cassius Burton who had one stumped to aim at and knocked it out of the ground before the batman got into the crease. Shahid went for a quick run and was stranded mid pitch, Burton doing the fielding broke the stumps again he went for 1.
With the score at 31 for 5 the game was brought into dispute by Rohil the Pak Brighton batsman. He told the presiding umpire that the bowler Donovan Nelson was overstepping the popping crease. The umpire ignore Rohil complained, the Pak Brighton captain Abdul Waheed subsequently entered the playing area and had a chat with the umpire Steve Kallou. Then the vice-captain Shahid walked onto the pitch and instructed to two batsmen to walk off the playing field forfeiting the match to Middlesex.
Bowling for Middlesex, Dominic Audain 4 overs, 5 runs, 2 wickets, and Rushane Manning 4 overs, 12 runs, 1 wicket. Middlesex winning their first major championship.
