Tropical Fantasy Too Good For Hillside

Final Div 2 Playoff
Tropical Fantasy Sports Club vs Hillside Cricket Club played at Tudor Park.
It was the showdown of the two undefeated team in the final of WISA Div. 2, 25 overs competition. It is also about the bragging rights for the two teams who usually take a few cold ones at the Tropical Fantasy bar after the games. Hillside came off an impressive win the week before by defeating Defenders Cricket Club, who made 154 and Hillside in the process loss one wicket in their chase. In the other semi-final Tropical Fantasy defeated Corner Tigers, 214 runs was too much for C. Tigers to chase, they only manage to get 143.

On Sunday, Hillside won the toss and without hesitation ask Tropical Fantasy to take first strike and the decision look like a good one when they had Tropical Fantasy 31-2 in 6 overs. But David Dataram and Manoj Sukhra (29) had other ideas and put together a good partnership, Dataram made Hillside pay dearly when he was dropped with him on 2, he then took control and made a well played 67, the score was 103 when he fell.

Hillside came back strongly to take some quick wickets and the score was 141-8 at the end of 21 overs, would be an easy target for Hillside. When Hillside thought they have pull back the game to their advantage, Suren Sawh start to play like it is 20-20 cricket by hitting some huge 6’s and manage to take the score to 194-9 assisted boldly by Steve Ramsumer. Sawh made a quick 38 n.o. The pick of Hillside bowlers S. Doobay 3-29, Seemangal 2-26, Rahim 2-39.

Hillside realizes to make a run at 194, they have to score at a good run rate and keep wickets in hand. They did keep up a good run rate but keep losing wickets steadily. The biggest set back was when they lose their in form opener, Seemnagal compressively bowled by Ramesh Barron (Rice) in the 2nd over. Then S. Sawh put more pressure when he had Doobay clean bowled. Rice then got the other scalp of N. Sammy, again comprehensively bowled for 17.

Other contributors S. Rahim 19, R. Persaud 15, and N. Singh 15. Wicket fell at 1-11, 2-34, 3-39, 4-43, 5-67 and at half time score was 92-7. The only thing to save them was rain, which threaten but only drizzle. The running between the wicket was not the best by Hillside, they had 3 run outs. They were eventually bowled out for 146. Bowling figure: R. Barron 2-14, M. Sukhra 2-12 and S. Sawh, S. Budhram and D. Pooran finished with one wicket each.

Submitted by Larry Mohabir