A victorious Richmond Hill Cricket Club.
By Royo Sankar
After eight years wondering what is takes to win a championship—Richmond Hill Cricket Club (RHCC), players finally found the formula that is needed to restore pride and supremacy to their club. Week after week a new set of heroes emerges and this last Sunday encounter with Meten-Meer-Zorg Cricket Club (MMZCC) at the famous inner city local arena, Baisley Park (Cage) was no exception. The newest; Prashad Mahadeo, Imran Ali and Kumar Nandalall. The trio would see RHCC home after being in a precarious position that helped their team remain unbeaten and emerge the 2013 regular season champion. Despite a brilliant ton from 18-year-old Trevis Ross. It was a combined and superb team effort with every player producing studious and timely performance when required.
Prashad Mahadeo hit an unbeaten 54. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
As the crowd began to build-up on a day made especially for cricket—MMZCC won the coin flip and undoubtedly believed batting first was the right option. It was a batsman day and the crowd was treated to a day of packed entertainment from start to finish. Azurdeen Mohamed and 19-year-old Amarnauth Persaud led from the front and with the score on 35, Mohamed departed for 14; trying to force an on-drive ,but only succeeded in lobbing the ball in the air with Shameer Sadloo diving full-stretch and coming-up with a brilliant catch off Roderick Lovell. However, 18-year-old Trevis Ross partnered Persaud at the center and the duo took turns entertaining the crowd with dazzling stroke-play to all corners of the park. Amarnauth Persaud sounded the alarm to the US national selectors when he was left out of the U-19 squad that toured Canada in early July and the U-19 World Cup qualifier of which the USA was knocked out—with a Classy and well composed 55(8x4s and 1×6). Against a formidable bowling attack that had five national bowlers and led by Kevin Darlington.
Both Persaud and Ross batted with erudite and confidence throughout their innings and played an array of strokes both sides of the wicket. Persaud creamed two in particular that rocketed to the cover-point boundary off National pacer Roderick Lovell that had class and elegance written all over it. Then followed up that with an effortless pull over the long-on boundary for six that had the MMZCC camp cheering wildly. He then attempted an impossible single to be run-out by W. Ward with a direct hit. Scorecard 123 for in 22 overs—MMZCC most prolific batsman Richie Sieuchan then joined Ross and the pair took the score to 188 with Ross being the more aggressive and dominant during the 65 run partnership. He took a special liking of RHCC skipper Shameer Sadloo and in his 3rd over clubbed him for 15 runs, two straight-drive that raced to the fence and a six. Switching ends—from the Foch Blvd. to the basketball made no difference as Ross smoked the first ball for six then followed up with another boundary. Sieuchan would later depart for 22 from 25 balls. Trevis Ross later bought up his century with a single and was unbeaten to the end with 107—Saud Hussain (5) and Zaaid Majeed (12) would fell cheaply, as MMZCC post a modest 234 for 5 from 40 overs.
Travis Ross slammed 107 not out in a losing cause. Photo by Royo Sankar
Responding to a somewhat modest target of 234 at 5.85 run per over , RHCC openers Debo Sankar and Zaheer Sadloo posted a stand of 37 before Zaheer swung wildly and was bowled for 15 (2x4s) off A. Mohamed. Debo soon followed the path with the score on 73, for 18 that included 2 sixes. Crowd favorite Sudesh Dhaniram was next in and wasted no time—looking to finish the game early he smoked R. Islam for 24 in one over that included 4-sixes. However, the introduction of Saumil Gandhi from the basketball end would see the back of Dhaniram 38 (1×4 and 4x6s) — playing across the line, as umpire Steve Kalloo took him time and raised the dreaded finger. Wahid Ward (6) and Shameer Sadloo (0) did nothing to the total and were back in their seats watching the proceedings with their team in a precarious position at 126 for 4 in 23 overs—they needed someone to anchor the innings. Prashad Mahadeo would take that role coming in at # 5 he batted with complete authority along with the hard hitting Imran Ali, as two chip away at the target. Imran Ali plunders a quick-fire 48 that was peppered with 4x4s and 5x6s and dissipates any hope of an MMZCC win, as they keep switching bowlers. Mahadeo executed some fine shot during his unbeaten 54, not taking too much risk and playing every ball to its merit. With the score on 188 Ali fell, bowled by a Saumil Gandhi top spinner. Deryck McDonald fell cheaply for 9. Needing a further 39 from 42 balls—Kumar Mandala came in at # 9 and Smoked a quick 25 not out off just 14 deliveries that included 2x2s, 2x4s and 2x6s, giving RHCC victory by three wickets—sending the RHCC camp and supporters cheering wildly and became the latest hero.
Final Scores: MMZCC 234 for 5 off their allotted 40 overs, Trevis Ross 107 Not Out, Amarnauth Persaud 55 and Richie Sieuchan 22. There was a wicket each for R. Lovell, S. Dhaniram, K. Nandalall and S. Sadloo.
RHCC 235 for 7 from 37 overs, Prashad Mahadeo 54 not out, Imran Ali 48, Sudesh Dhaniram 38 and Kumar Nandalall 25 not out. Bowling for MMZCC Saumil Gandhi got 3 wickets; A. Mohamed had 2, while there was one each for R. Sieuchan and Z. Majeed.