Eastern American Cricket Association
With heavy wind transcending from the water in winter like weather at Bay Park, Meten-Meer-Zorg Cricket Club won the toss against Phantoms Cricket Club and elected to bat first.
Richie Sieuchand (right) collects his cap and incentive from Ed Ahmad.
Skipper Andy Mohammed and the attacking elegant former Trinidad and Tobago national youth player Richie Sieuchand opened the batting for MMZ against an eager Phantoms CC team. It was Sorabh Chopra and Shakeel Hamdani who started off proceeding for Phantoms, they kept things very quiet as Mohammed and Sieuchand tried to get a feel of the wicket which shows sign of uncertainty, it was Ritchie who started off with a blistering cover drive and it was run fest for him from there on he brought up his fifty in quick time hitting a powerful six over mid-wicket.
The pair brings up the one hundred partnership in the 18th overs , the skipper on the other hand was batting solidly bringing up his fifty with a flick to the long on boundary for four, with the score board reading 132 in the 20th over Mohammed was eventually out, well caught at long on for a well played 55. Another former youth player the dependable Deonauth Baksh joined Sieuchand.
Baksh is one of MMZ main scorer for the past 4 years and was name MVP two years in a row for the club. Seiuchand continued to play with aggression playing some crisp drives especially on the off side; he brought up his first century for MMZ with a massive six over extra cover. Baksh in the meantime was playing the anchor role giving his aggressive partner the strike, with the score on 230 Baksh was out caught trying to pull a short delivery.
Richie was joined by New York under 19 player the stylish left hander Trevis Ross, as he brought up his 150 with a huge six over long off, after that he took twenty six off a Faraaz over smashing him for five fours and a massive six, with the score on 280. Ross smartly caught in the cover off a Chopra delivery. Richie was joined by USA under 19 player Amarnath Persaud who came in with Richie needed twenty eight for a double hundred, he smashed fifteen of the 39th over. Needing 13 from the final over, Persaud was run out trying to scamper a double to give his partner the strike.
Zaaid Majeed joined Sieuchand who was on 189, but Hamdani produced a fine last over that yield only seven runs and left Sieuchand undefeated on 196, which included 18 blistering fours and 11 massive sixes. MMZ eventually end up with 308 for four wickets off 40 overs. Sieuchand walked in with standing ovation from both teams and spectators.
Anubhav Chopra and Atif Bhaig would open the Phantoms CC innings, while the usual pair of Rocky Kowchai and the young Rayhanul Islam to started proceedings for MMZ. Kowchai strike first having inducing a thick outside edge off Chopra’s bat to wicket keeper Ajaz Asgarally who took a spectacular catch diving to his right. Vignesh Murali joined Baig but did not last long as he was cleaned up by Kowchai. Faiyaz Desai came to the wicket to collaborate with Baig. The two batsmen played well before a misunderstanding and Baig was run out by Gandhi. Shakeeb came in and didn’t last long either as he was trapped in front of Kowchai, NIschan and Desai batted well together taking the score to 73 before Zaaid Majeed bowled Nicshal . Wajid was stumped by Asgarally off Gandhi for one. Desai was batting well when he tried to hit Gandhi into the water but just manage to find the waiting safe hands of Majeed for 28.
Phantoms CC were all out for 92 runs off 28.1 overs.
Match summary: MMZ 308 for 4 off 40 overs, R. Sieuchand 196 not out, A. Mohammed 56, D. Baksh 18.
Bowling for Phantom CC: Wajid 1 for 34 off four overs, S. Chopra 1 for 44 off seven overs and Nicshal I for 44 off six overs.
Phantoms CC 92 all out off 28.5 overs, F. Desai 28 and Nicshal 24.
Bowling for MMZ: S. Gandhi 3 for 12 of 7.5 overs, R. Kowchai 3 for 14 off 4 overs, Z. Majeed 1 for 30 off 8 overs and T. Ross 1 for 7 off 4 overs.
Mark and Vanessa of Air Wave Air conditioning (718-933-1011) is the proud sponsored of the Meten-Meer-Zorg Cricket Club for its 2013 season.
MMZ CC next game is on Sunday May 12 against Centurion CC at Flushing 1 ground.