By Dervon Wallace
Metropolitan Cricket League
Villagers CC continued their impressive start to the 2013 New York Metropolitan Cricket League (NYMCL) Clement “Busta” Lawrence Round Robin championship making it seven wins in seven starts when they defeated Islandwide CC by 5 wickets with 11.1 overs to spare on Sunday June 30, 2013 at the Canarsie Park cricket field by East 80 and Seaview in Brooklyn NY.
Steve Massiah hit 68 in Villagers win over Islandwide. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
On a cool, foggy, overcast Sunday afternoon and forecasters predicting scattered showers late in the afternoon Villagers captain Cliff Roye won the toss and inserted his opponent as the condition seems ideal for bowling. Islandwide started their inning with Aloysious Fontinell and Herbert Mathurin and they added 16 before Mathurin 2 was well taken at second slip by Damien Henry off the last bowl of the fourth over bowled by Andre Hooper. The dangerous Lebert Serieux joined fellow danger man Fontinell but the pair was separated when the latter having driven a Hooper delivery between cover and extra-cover for a sweetly time boundary tried to repeat the shot next ball but found Raldo Mowatt at extra-cover who took a good sharp two hand catch as the ball was hit with power to make it 27 for 2 from 5.3 overs, he made 22 (22 balls 3×4).
Serieux who was looking good and a very patient Kenneth Bacchus added 87 in 20 overs before the dreadlocks Bacchus 36 (61balls 4×4) was bowled by Rashard Marshall in his first over who by now after a late arrival was eligible to bowl and with the third ball of his second over Marshall also accounted for Serieux who was caught off a leading edge by Henry at short mid-wicket for a well played 52 (62 balls 4×4 and 3×6) with the scoreboard reading 124 for 4 from 26.3 overs. The lower order didn’t fear well as they finish 159 for 9 from allotted 35 overs with Richard Moncherry 10 (27 balls 1×4)the only other batsman to get into double figure as the slit drizzle which has been treating got a little steadier.
Bowling for Villagers: George Adams 2 for 30 from 7 with 1 maiden, Hooper 2 for 31 from 4, Cuthbert Mendonca 0 for 13 from 4 with 1 maiden, Steve Massiah 0 for 10 from 7 with 2 maidens, Melroy Kingston 2 for 35 from 7 with 1 maiden, Henry 0 for 22 from 2 and Marshall 2 for 13 from 4 with 1 maiden.
Melroy Kingston struck an even 50 from 61 balls. Photo by Dillon Bourne
After a delay of approximately 75 minutes Villagers needing 160 to complete their seventh consecutive wins opted to start their reply with Kingston and Massiah, with the rain still a treat and Mr. Frank Duckworth and Mr. Tony Lewis D/L method a possibility there was a sense of urgency evident on the Villagers openers as they went about their toss of making sure they would be ahead of the par score should the heaven open up with some showers of blessings. The two Guyanese native took a liking to a helpless looking Islandwide bowling attack as they mixed defensive with an array of stroke play all over a fresh green large outfield. At the water break at the end of 15 overs the pair carried the score to 113 without loss with Massiah in the process completing his half century from 38 balls. Fontinell was brought on after the break and got the breakthrough with his second ball when he got one to keep low that Massiah 68 (51balls 8×4) was unable to keep out and his stumps were shattered to make it 118 for 1. Henry who is finding runs hard to come by so far this season made 5 before he lost his middle stump to a Bacchus in-swinger at 134 for 2 in the nineteenth over.
Villagers who not for the first time showed their unprofessionalism by opting to change their batting line up and lost a couple quick wickets, Mowatt for a first ball duck and Mendonca who lost his head trying to take a single that was never on with his partner been 60 years old Charles Walker, Kingston brought up his half century from 60 balls before he was fourth man out for an even 50 (61balls 4×4) bowled by Bacchus. After losing 5 wickets for 28 runs the target was reached in the twenty-fourth over with Walker unbeaten on 5 from 12 balls and Marvin Simpson not out 6 from 9 balls. There were 2 wickets each for Fontinell 2 for 24 from 5 and Bacchus 2 for 29 from 4.5 overs.
Final scores Islandwide CC 159 for 9 off 35 overs and Villagers 160 for 5 from 23.5 overs.