Metropolitan Cricket League
By Dervon Wallace
A magnificent century from USA middle order batsman Rashard “Brukki” Marshall and incisive bowling from George Adams and Melroy Kingston propelled Villagers CC to commanding convincing 185 runs victory over a helpless Lucas CC in round 9 of the New York Metropolitan Cricket League (NYMCL) Clement “Busta” Lawrence round robin preliminary round on Sunday July 7 at Gateway Cricket Field in Brooklyn NY.
Rashad Marshall unbeaten on 113 from 77 balls. Photos by Shiek Mohamed
On a very hot and humid summer day with temperatures hovering in the high 80’s Villagers CC captain Cliff Roye won the toss and opted to take first strike. Kingston and the returning Richard Staple who missed the last two games due to injury opened the batting for the host but Staples returned didn’t last long as he was out caught in the second over for 6 with the score on 12. In came the promoted Cuthbert Mendonca and himself and Kingston added 119 from 103 balls for the second wicket both reaching their half-centuries from 52 and 45 balls respectively. The partnership was broken when Kingston fell after clearing mid-wicket for 6 tried to clear long-off next ball but with the aid of the breeze was caught on the boundary by Jonathan Staton off the bowling of Nalburn Whittaker for a well played 60 (48 balls 5×4 and 3×6).
In came the explosive Marshall to joined Mendonca and after a watchful start playing himself in Marshall started to play his shots and brought up his first half-century of the season from 45 balls, before he got even more attacking passing a towing Mendonca in the 80’s and went on to bring up his century from 69 balls with a towering six over wide long-off. With his teammates and spectators alike encouraging a now subdued Mendonca to try to get to three figures his luck ran out after having been put down on no fewer than 3 occasion was dismissed on 96 (113 balls 8×4 and 4×6 in 191 minutes) in the penultimate over of the inning and to add insult to injury the heat added with the heart broke of been unable to record what would have been his first NYMCL century seams too much to bare and he passed out while walking off the field and had to be revived by his teammates with the aid of a CPR specialist in the form of female cricketer Roselyn Emanuel whose quick thinking of having him sniff on Alcolada Glacial was key to his quick revival, he shared in a third wicket stand of 156 from 118 balls. When the inning came to an end Marshall who batted for two hours and fifty five minutes was left unbeaten on 113 from 77 balls with seven 4’s and seven 6’s as Villagers closed on 296 for 3 from 40 allotted overs. There was 1 wicket each for Keeble Thomas (1 for 42) Staton (1 for 25) and Whittaker (1 for 50).
Cuthbert Mendoza struck a patient 96.
Set a target of 297 at a run rate of 7.42 for an unlikely victory Lucas wicket keeper batsman Orval Crawford started off positively neatly whipping the first ball of the case off his pads for a boundary off the bowling of Adams and then hooking the same bowler for 6 in his next over, his cameo was short lived though when part-time off spinner Kingston who haven replace a clearly shaken Mendonca after only one over had him brilliantly caught &bowled diving to his left in his follow-through to grab one inches from the ground for 15 (13 balls 2×4 and 1×6) to make it 21 for 1. Lucas thereafter crumbled and limped to 66 for 8 inside 13 overs as Kingston and Adams ripped apart their batsmen with the former bowling a testing line and length while the latter relied on his pace and movement.
Thanks to a 41 runs partnership between 67 years old Wayne Stuger and Whittaker Lucas was able to pass the 100 mark. A partnership which was broken in rather unfortunate circumstances when Stuger who seams not up with the modern rule was caught off a free hit and thought he was out, wondered out his crease and a quick thinking Raldo Mowatt removed the bails to find him out of his ground but not before he entertained the crowd with a few lusty blows in top scoring with 41 from 55 balls stroking two 4’s and three 6’s all off Kingston bowling each time shaking Kingston’s hand. Extras was next best with 22 with Whittaker unbeaten on 12 the only other batsman to get into double figures as Adams finished with 4 for 24 from 8 overs and Kingston 4 for 43 from 8 overs, Mowatt was the other wicket taker 1 for 10 from 1.4 overs.
Final scores Villagers 296 for 3 from 40 overs, Lucas CC 111 all out in 26.4 overs.