Long Island United won the toss and chose to bat on a beautiful and sunny day. Asim Mehmood hit some lusty blows before getting out for 44, and Babar Zia contributed 31, putting on an opening stand of 75 runs. Omer Ali contributed a quick 21, and the score was sitting pretty at 120 for 1 in 15 overs. Spinning duo of Saumil Gandhi and Neel Patel triggered a middle order collapse with seven wickets between them, and the LIUCC innings closed at 230 for 8 in 35 overs.
Arsenal cricket club is one of the newest team in the Eastern American Cricket Association.
With two early Arsenal wickets LIUCC players were making early dinner plans, but Muhammad Usman and Saumil Gandhi had different ideas. They weathered the storm and kept the Arsenal innings afloat with some sensible strike rotation, and did not panic with the climbing asking rate. Muhammad Usman contributed 54 and Saumil Gandhi 59, as the target crept closer and closer slowly and painfully.
The match kept flowing back and forth with 47 required in the last four overs, with Usman and Saumil back in the dressing room, and everyone on edge as VCC and ESW teams also joined the spectators after finishing their games, and a lot of good hearted insults and unwanted advice about each others cricketing skills flying in either direction.
The young but experienced Anwer Kamal ran in for the 32nd over, and LIUCC seemed pretty confident at this point. But Ayaz Chaudhry stunned everyone with 22 runs in that over. Now with 25 required in three reaming overs, the confident Qasim Dastgir ran in hard for the 33rd over and bowled a wicket maiden.
With the match turning again and LIUCC quick Ishtiaque Gul ready for the 34th over, once again LIUCC spirits were high, but with a last ball 6 and 16 off the over, the agony for players and supporters increased ten fold. With 9 required of the last over, Qasim Dastgir ran in like a demon and only gave up two runs, which give LIUCC the victory.
Games like these remind us why we love the game.