Metropolitan Cricket League
By Dervon Wallace | Scorecard Below
Villagers Pacesetters took sole leadership of the Metropolitan Cricket League Clement “Busta” Lawrence Premier League with a comprehensive drubbing of Mid Island Cricket Club at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens NY on Sunday June 8th.
Centurions Rashard Marshall (left) and Melroy Kingston.
After winning the toss and electing to bat Villagers found themselves in early trouble when opener Tristiann Coleman was caught at short mid-wicket for 5 with the score on 10 in the second over and 3 balls later it was 11 for 2, Steve Massiah playing in his first game of the season adjudged LBW by umpire Mohammad Bash jr. without scoring.
Captain Cliff Roye and the inform Melroy Kingston tried to steady the ship and added 43 from 33 balls before Roye 24 (12balls 5×4) was bowled by his opposite number Nick Ramrattan. Kingston found another useful partner in the form of the attacking Marvin Simpson and they quickly added 55 from 44 balls when Simpson 32 (22balls 4×4 2×6) was given out LBW with the score on 109 for 4 at the water break in the 15th over. Talisman Gordon joined Kingston and they added 61 from 50 balls before Gordon 33 (24balls 6×4) went. With the score at 170 for 5 in the 22nd over a Mid Island player was heard telling his teammates “we’re in the tail so let’s get them out for under 200” but little did he know of what was to come. With Kingston still at the crease passing his half-century and looking well set for another ton, in walked a little dynamo the hard hitting former Jamaica under-19 and current USA middle order batsman Rashard Marshall.
Kingston brought up his second consecutive century in Villagers colors to go with one he scored the previous day for his masters’ team and celebrated in his now customary style hitting one out the ground and telling Marshal to “stay there this one going far”. He batted for 210 minutes and faced 97 balls hitting 12 fours and 3 sixes when he was eventually caught behind for 108 in the 35th over with the score 282. Mid Island must have thought their troubles were over but Marshall who was on 64 from 46 balls was joined by the disruptive George Adams and when the allotment of 40 overs was completed Marshall was unbeaten on 102 (57balls 14×4 3×6) and Adams on 56 (19balls 4×4 5×6). Villagers scoring 110 from 30 balls reaching a mammoth 392 for 6.
Ramrattan finished with 2 for 95, Anthony Brown 2 for 23, Randy Permaul 1 for 42 and Clem Thompson 1 for 37.
In reply any hope of a challenge Mid Island had was dashed from as early as the second over when inform Rohan Burrell fresh from his century the previous week was carelessly run out for a duck with the score on 1. They never recovered and was skittle out for a partly 76 in 19.4 overs. Craig Hugh 16 (16 balls 1×4), Peter Heywood 17 (25 balls 3xa) and Thompson 11 (17balls 2×4) was the only batsmen to reach double figures with extras accounting for 17. Massiah finished with 3 for 16, Adams 3 for 23 and Romoy Ricketts 2 for 18.
Villagers unbeaten run now stands at 25 games.
