Rain Dampens Spirit of the Game for Some

By John L. Aaron
With seasonal cricket comes seasonal showers and hot, humid days. It was no different last Sunday as the Metropolitan Cricket League did everything possible to get in a round of matches across Brooklyn and Long Island in New York.

Some bowling was wet, and some bats were hot, creating a climate change in the league’s points standings table. Atlantis (35 Points) moved into second place, Villagers (30 Points) dropped to third, and Lucas (20 Points) jumped over Suburbia (15 Points) and into fourth place.

Did someone say turbulent weather ahead of the season’s forecast? Westbury (37 Points), however, is staying ahead of the points standings with a sunny forecast in the number one slot, despite experiencing rainy weather at the Westbury High School ground on Long Island, this past weekend.

Atlantis Cricket Club – NY vs. Suburbia Sports Club
Letren’s 116 not out is Sunny spot of the day!
The match started out hopeful, with shades of blue peeking out from behind some light grey clouds and raising optimism that a full game was possible. There were even moments of bright and warm sunshine. That would, however, give way to a massive downpour later during the Suburbia inning, with Atlantis securing a win after showers of runs and rain.

Calling the coin right, Atlantis’ skipper Randall Wilson opted to bat first, opening with Freddy Pestano and Marvan Prashad. Prashad, 19 (3x4s), b. Dean Burrell was the first to return to the tent with Atlantis on 36 in the fourth over. Freddy Pestano followed five overs later, contributing a well-made 40 (3x6s, 3x4s). Atlantis was chasing the rain at just over eight runs per over, looking for a comfortable and defendable score in the three-figure range.

Giovanni Letren, his skipper Randall Wilson and vice skipper Kellon Carmichael, along with a cameo appearance from Steve Roopnarine, would contribute to the get-ahead chase. Skipper Wilson, 43 (2x6s, 2x4s), departed 101 runs after Freddy Pestano’s exit with the Atlantis score at 176 in the twenty-first over. Wilson was followed by the day’s sunshine batter, Giovanni Letren, with a classic and entertaining knock of 116 (7x6s, 9x4s) off 78 balls. At that point, Atlantis was one run shy of 300.

Despite a sluggish start, Atlantis’ vice captain Kellon Carmichael got going and hit four massive maximums in his unbeaten knock of 71 off 45 deliveries. Carmichael was aided and abetted by Steve Roopnarine, 11, not out with one maximum in a cameo supporting role. Extras chipped in with 28, as the boys in the home yellow posted 328 for four in the agreed-upon 35 overs.

The Atlantis wickets fell at 36, 75, 176, and 299. The scalpers were Suburbia’s Wayne Cox 2 for 49, Romain Martin 1 for 49, and Dean Burrell 1 for 64.

Suburbia took to the middle with some of the blue skies appearing intermittently, but no doubt anxious to get the scoreboard ticking with the match being streamed live by the Metropolitan Cricket League’s exemplary media and cricclubs.com scoring staff of Dervon Wallace and Lawson Aarons.

Suburbia’s opening quartet of Skipper Cuthbert Mendonca, 2, Andre Lindsay, 8, Oneil Richards, 0, and Towan Henry, 0, were all back on the sidelines with Suburbia at 45 for four in the thirteenth over. With less than 50 runs on the board and chasing 329, the fear that rain would put a halt to the proceedings appeared inevitable. However, Cliff Roye gave hope to the Suburbia inning by striking a stay-with-it approach to the task ahead, scoring a patient 17 (2x4s). However, he was c. Freddy Pestano, just inside the boundary off the bowling of Jaden Norville, with the Suburbia score at 51 for 5 in the fourteenth over.

Dean Burrell, 23, and Romain Martin, 12, both not out, had spirited knocks when the skies finally opened up during the twentieth over, ending Suburbia’s effort.

The Suburbia wickets fell at 5, 5, 27, 45, and 51 as the rain-interrupted inning closed out at 86 for five in 20 overs. Bowling for Atlantis Dillon Bourne 2 for nine, Jaden Norville 2 for 29, and the run-out of Towan Henry, 9, a direct-hit from Steve Roopnarine, accounted for the Suburbia wickets, with Atlantis gaining the win via the Duckworth-Lewis route.

Westbury Cricket Club vs. Island Wide Cricket Club
Rain interrupted match abandoned due to the rain.
Westbury won the toss and took to the middle with bats in hand, posting 287 for 9 in the agreed-upon 37-overs match-up.

The in-form Carlos Green enjoyed a titillating knock of 57, including eight fours. The league-leading season’s hot-bat Richard Allen made an early departure, caught behind by wicket-keeper Lebert Serieux off the bowling of Aloysious Fontenelle for 13 (2x4s). His fellow opener Jose Northover, 37, Brandon English, 45, Roberto Simpson, 32, and Ryan Bennett, 24, along with Extras, 40, helped Westbury reach 287 for 9 in the allotted overs.

The Westbury wickets fell at 33, 98, 147, 210, 219, 223, 226, 235 and 256. Bowling for Island Wide, Boston Thomas 8-0-56-4 was the pick of the crop. Howard Blake had 2 for 46 and was among the eight bowlers employed by Island Wide in the inning.

With overcast skies and the constant threat of a downpour, Island Wide took to the middle to defend the almost 300 posted by Westbury. They were on their way at 81 for 1 in the tenth over when the skies opened up, and the rainmaker interrupted the contest.

Island Wide was off to a decent start at 78 when they lost Richley Charles, 31, b. Horace Porter. It was a better start than the 33 for one in the sixth over by Westbury. However, the rain spoiled any effort of Island Wide or the match progressing further.

The match was declared abandoned with the scores: Westbury, 287 for 9 in 37 overs, and Island Wide, 81 for one in 10 overs. The two teams will split two points each on the points board.

Spice Island Cricket Club vs. Lucas Cricket Club
Spice Island claims the W via Duckworth-Lewis Route
In another of the weekend’s rain-affected match-ups, Spice Island winning the toss and electing to bat, racked up 131 for 6 in 21.4 overs. The tally came off the bats of middle-order batter Gregory Anthony, 47, b. Rodwell Busgith, Keon George, 36, c&b Wayne Amsterdam and Nolan Samuel, 19, b. Wayne Amsterdam.

The Spice Island wickets fell at 21, 64, 116, 123, 123, and 139. Bowling for Lucas, Rodwell Busgith, and Wayne Amsterdam each enjoyed two scalps for 37 and 41, respectively, while Julien George and Rodarri Smalls each had one wicket for 13 and 32.

Lucas needing 140 for the win, saw a worthwhile contribution from opener Dave “Funky” Hart, 45 (4x4s), and Orval Crawford, 10. Both gentlemen departed and Lucas was on 84, when the rain Gods frowned upon the day’s program. It was soon after Kevil George had muscled 20 not out (2x6s, 1×4) in an effort to beat the rain to the finish line. The rain won!

Lucas’ wickets fell at 52 and 84, with Curlen Edgar one for 17 and Nolan Samuel one for 40 responsible for the scalping in the 84 for 2 in 19.1 overs effort by Lucas.

The officiating umpires awarded the match to Spice Island based on the Duckworth-Lewis calculations of overs bowled and runs scored.

This Sunday, July 16, 2023 fixtures include.
Westbury Cricket Club hosting Atlantis Cricket Club – NY at Westbury High School, Westbury, NY.
Villagers Sports Club hosts Lucas Sports Club at Roy Sweeney Oval in Brooklyn, NY.
Suburbia Sports Club hosts Island Wide at Roy Wilkins Park, Merrick Boulevard, Queens, NY.

All matches start at 12:00 Noon.