By Sham Ali
(Celebrating 43rd Anniversary – Match #1208):- Cosmos turned in a good performance last Sunday against Liberty at Baisley 150th Street in the New York National Cricket League T20 competition, however, it was not good enough to overcome dominant Liberty team.
Opening batsman Shane Singh has been in good touch in the latter half of the season, and he followed up his match-winning inning in the T20 semi finals last weekend with another good score in this second T20 competition. His inning gave Cosmos a some momentum after Cyril Choy (6) went early. A steady 2nd wicket partnership with Yudesh Shivpersaud and then another with Devon McCarthy kept the Cosmos inning ticking at a healthy eight runs per over.
Singh was in good command and appeared on course for another big score before he threw his wicket away when he charged and missed a wide from T. Henry and was stumped for 36-ball 44 runs (4-4’s, 3-6’s).
McCarthy though was in cruise control for the greater part of his inning as he seemed to have some difficulty in making a distinction between other formats of the game and the T20 game, before he went for a 32-ball 27 runs.
The inning though was poised for a late over burst, and Junit Mingo seems to have read the state of the game well, and may have missed his usual second inning at chattax across from Ogle Cricket ground, as he stroked a 17-ball 31 runs cameo to propelled Cosmos to a competitive 171 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs.
For a brief moment in the powerplay, Cosmos kept the opposition quiet when Shane Singh removed T. Henry (9), but then the inning took a dramatic turn as V. Singh tore into the Cosmos attack as he and N. Rambharos settled for a breezy 2nd wicket partnership.
Any chance of Cosmos creating some pressure thereafter was hampered when Shane Singh grassed a chest-high catch off Rambharos at point. But then with 43 runs needed in 5 overs, the usually safe hands of Alex Chunilall made a meal of a chance offered by V. Singh on the mid-off boundary off J. Mingo.
It was the only opportunity that was offered by the left-handed V. Singh in an inning of class and controlled hitting. K. Sewnarine remained quiet at the non-striker’s end, but got into the hunt with a 12-ball 20 runs not out. Singh ensured that there will be no hiccups in the late overs charge, and proceed to zip-up the match with a belligerent 37-ball 85 runs (7-4’s, 8-6’s) as Liberty sealed an emphatic 8-wicket victory.
