EACA 40-overs Tournament
By Shivnan S. Ramjattan
With 76 required from 108 balls, he strode to the wicket like a man on a mission, Wahid Ward whirlwind unbeaten 54 from 29 balls—peppered with nine fours and two sixes was the highlight of the days play.
Wahid Ward hit a quick 54 of 29 balls in Richmond Hill win over Meten-Meer-Zorg. Photo by Shem Rodney
He along with Debo Sankar (18 not out) saw Richmond Hill Cricket Club (RHCC) romped home by seven wickets with 52 balls to spare—after Meten-Meer-Zorg Cricket Club (MMZCC) posted an appreciable 171 for nine in 40 overs. Shines Beepat bowled impressively, while Zaaid Majeed was tidy, but the rest was clubbed around the park at will—on a day when Ward appeared to rediscovered his big-hitting mojo.
Youngsters Saud Hossain and Zaaid Majeed consolidated the MMZCC innings after the early loss of Star Batsman Azrudeen Mohamed—without tickling the scorebook, lobbing a simple catch to Dhaniram at square-leg. Glen Meyer (11) and Sumon Bari (0) accompanied him in the pavilion. After opening bowlers Sudesh Dhaniram and Wahid Ward had them wobbling at 15 for three and threatened to rip through their batting.
However, Saud Hossain (52–7x4s) batted beautifully as he and Majeed (28) put together a valuable 84 from 132 deliveries. The two had A high percentage of dot balls before their first boundary, compliments of some tidy bowling from Dhaniram, Ward, Nandalall and McDonald, but Saud broke the shackles with a hat-trick of boundaries off skipper Shameer Sadloo’s second over, all through mid-wicket to get MMZ innings going. Majeed anchor-role soon ended with an unnecessary slog that cost him his wicket. A late flourish by Andre Persaud (20), Rayanul Islam (18 N.O) and Ajaz Asgarally (11 N.O) saw MMZCC get past the 150-mark, their final score 171 in 40 overs for the loss of nine wickets. Dhaniram was the pick of the bowlers with three for 18 from eight, while there were two each for Ward, Shameer and Zaheer.
In pursuit of 171 at A comfortable 4.25 an over, RHCC lost Tyrell for 10—Dhaniram coming at number three then announced his arrival with a whip through mid-wicket for four—followed by a series of dot balls before his next boundary. He and Zaheer Sadloo (34–5x4s), who appeared to regain his touch with some crisp drives through the off-side— then, began to chip away at the target. Zaheer soon departed with the score on 91.
Debo Sankar partnered Dhaniram who then walloped a series of boundaries, before aiming for the Long island Expressway one too many, Majeed then had his stumps pointing in that same direction for 38 (6x4s-1×6). Wahid Ward arrived at the crease and straight away began— mowing the MMZCC bowlers to all corners of the park, especially Chis Sirkissoon “as the legendary Geoffrey Boycott would describe poor bowling”—his little lollipops, topped off with condensed milk spurt 28 from 2.5 overs. As Debo and Ward saw RHCC home without any further loss.