The first day of the 2016 Eastern American Cricket Association (EACA) season started with tepid anticipation, coupled with nervous apprehension that the game everyone had been waiting for months would be called off.
Rameez Tirmizi struck 73 of 39 balls in Long Island United CC win over Camelot.
It seemed like the weather makers didn’t get the memo that it was May and it’s time for sunshine and cricket. Both team captains and the umpires were very patient, did what they could to coax the pitch into drying and then waited good-naturedly, as the captains kept the squads distracted with fielding drills and catching practice. The desire to play cricket at all costs, trumped the wet weather and a 30 over game started around 2:00 PM.
Camelot won the toss and put Long Island United Cricket Club (LIUCC) in to bat at the low, slow, and uncertain week 1 pitch. Zia and Alvi opened the batting for LIUCC, and Alvi kept motoring along, even with the fall of Zia’s wicket (5 of 8) in the fifth over as the score stood at 36. The usually flamboyant Selwyn Mohan (18 of 24) and Waqas Ashiq (18 of 24) kept fighting the pitch and the experienced Camelot bowlers, in support of Alvi, but the wily bowlers kept the batting in check, as the next two wickets fell for 87 and 96 in the 14th and 15th respectively.
Rameez Tirmizi walked in nonchalantly and did not look comfortable at the crease initially and kept grinding away with Sajeed khan (25 of 21), as the Camelot bowlers kept the batting unit in check; and the score at that point stood at 116 in 21 overs. With 9 overs to go, it seemed like 160-170 was on the cards. At that point with a message from the Captain to pick it up, Rameez changed gears like a man trying to catch a train, and simply put, just went on a blitzkrieg offensive mode. He ended up scoring 73 of 39 balls, with 9 sixes and 2 fours, and helped LIUCC to total score of 245 in 30 overs.
Anwer Kamal 5 overs for 16 runs, 3 wickets, Ghulam Mustafa 2 Overs for 5 runs and 2 wickets, and Sajeed Khan with 2 overs for 3 runs and 2 wickets, kept the Camelot batting under control for a total of 110 in 22 overs. Extras being the top scorer with 33.