Metropolitan Cricket League
By Clifford Hinds
A poor performance by Pioneer / Tristate in the field allowed Suburbia to score too many runs, an amount that even their strong batting line up could not overcome. Pioneer/Tristate won the toss and asked Suburbia to take first strike.
Young Gauranshu Sharma after scoring his second ton of the Metropolitan Cricket League season.
Suburbia accepted the gift and set about laying the foundation for a big innings. The opening pair of Del Permahance and MD Hussain batted extremely well to put on 191 before the former was bowled by Triholder Marshall for a well-played 129. MD Hussain was caught by Mario Persaud off Wilson for 63. Suburbia ended with 286 for 4 after 37 overs. Marshall was the most successful bowler with 2 for 34 off 4 overs; Mario Persaud had 1 for 68 in 8 overs.
Pioneer/ Tristate opened with Bashir Singh and 16 year old Gauranshu Sharma. Singh did not last long as his hook shot went awry and he was caught at short midwicket for 2. Enter Horatio Paul, who had scored a century last week. He was batting very confidently when he drove in the air and was caught for 10.
Captain, Marlon Persaud joined Sharma who by this time was stroking the ball with great elegance and authority to all parts of the field. The captain batted as if he intended to knock off the score by himself. He scored 20 in one over and 12 off another as he reached fifty before Sharma. He seemed set for a century when he went caught for a well-played 81 which included 6 fours and 4 sixes. The partnership had added 159 runs for the third wicket, a magnificent display of batting.
Meanwhile, the young “Sheriff” was as calm as a duck on water. While Keiffer Phill came in and batted well to score 26 with 2 fours and 2 sixes before he was out for 26, Sharma was batting himself into the history books, and when Phill was out the spectators on both sides were cheering for him to complete his second not out hundred in two weeks. He ended with 104 not out with 10 fours. The youngsters never gave up the chase, and when the umpires pulled the bails, Pioneer /Tristate were 240 for 5 losing by 46 runs. Chetram “Mario Persaud” was not out on 10.
Sharma will be absent from the line up next Sunday against Staten Island as he has been granted time off for exams.