Metropolitan Cricket League
By Dervon Wallace
A place in the 2013 grand finale of the NYMCL New York Metropolitan Cricket League Premiere Competition will be up for gab as the top four teams lock horns at two venues approximately 24 miles apart.
Steve Massiah will try to continue his good form of recent. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
Semi Final 1
Top seed Villagers Cricket Club will face off with fourth place Progressive Cricket Club at Gateway Cricket Field in Brooklyn. Villagers CC who finish the preliminary with a whopping 67 points will put a 10 game winning streak on the line against a Progressive line up that finished fourth on 44.5 points and got into the semi final 1 point ahead of the firth place team. Despite the 22.5 points difference it promises to be a mouth watering clash as the Progressive players I spoke to during training this week, all echoed that at the start of the season the objective was to get into the playoffs and take it from there.
Villagers will once again be led by Cliff Roye who has a long list of talented players to choose from. With former Jamaica middle order batsman Richard Staple (notable former Progressive standout), In-form USA captain Steve Massiah, USA middle order batsman Rashard Marshall, George Adams, Melroy Kingston, Talisman Gordon, veteran Charles Walker along with the supporting cast of Ewart Gayle, Marvin Simpson, Cuthbert Mendonca, Andre Hooper, Raldo Mowatt and Rommoy Rickets in the ranks. Meanwhile Progressive not as strong as previous years will be led by former Windward Island youth player Kelvile George and should include former Leeward Island youth opener Dave Hart, Maurice Powell, Kadeem Rowe, Rodwell Busgith, the disruptive Dervin Morand and the veteran Maurice Cole.
Semi Final 2
A keen contest is expected over in Old Westbury at the Westbury High School when 8 times and defending champions Westbury CC plays host to 4 times champions Cosmos CC. The latter who finished third on 46.5 points some 11.5 points behind second place Westbury will be seeking some form of revenge as the last time both teams met at this hurdle in 2010, Cosmos the then defending champion was humbled by Westbury.
Faisal Taj will lead Cosmos batting. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
Westbury who enters as slight favorite will be lead by the veteran USA Cricket Hall of Famer Ballister McLeish and should include recalled USA international Barrington Bartley, former Windward Island First- class and West Indies youth player Dennison Thomas, the league’s leading wicket taker Linden St. Louis, Kevin Baugh, Javein Thomas, Cheddi Gayle along with speedsters; former West Indies B pace man Carlito Lopez and West Indies test player Jermaine Lawson who has a test hat-trick and a test career best 7 for 78 in consecutive test matches against at the time the all conquering Australians.
Cosmos who will be no push over, will be led my Ricky Kissoon and future a mixed of youths and veterans with the likes of; Windward Island first-class player and West Indies High Performance Centre graduate Keddy Lesporis, the hard hitting Faisal Taj, Cassius Burton, Sajib Salam and Rasheem James along with the veteran trio of Sham Ali, Sohan Dass and Leonard Achibar.
Both games are schedule to bowl off at 12 noon.