Westbury celerbates the fall of a wicket. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
Metropolitan Cricket League Final | Photo Gallery | Scorecard
By Dervon A. Wallace
The curtains came down on the New York Metropolitan Cricket League Clement “Busta” Lawrence Round Robin tournament when many times former champions Westbury CC defeated Progressive CC by 105 runs in a one sided contest played at the Floyd Bennett field in Brooklyn on August 5, 2012.
Barrington Bartley during his knock of 51 from 45 deliveries. Photo by Sham Ali.
Westbury won the toss and elected to take first strike and was restricted to 237 for 9 from their allotted 40 overs. After an opening stand of 78 in 12 overs the Westbury captain and management was expecting a total of over 300 as captain Barrington McLeish could be heard telling his players “lets capitalize on this start as 310 is what I’m looking for.”
The Westbury opening pair of Denison Thomas and Javein Thomas started off confidently in negotiating the swing of Progressive strike bowler left arm seamer Mikey Alexis who felt somewhat unlucky during his 2nd over when with the score on 12 and J. Thomas on naught surviving a confident LBW shout, Alexis showed his frustration by running towards his slip fielders with hands on head.
D. Thomas was the first to go when he was brilliantly caught by Progressive’s skipper Kelvin George at short mid-wicket off the first ball from Maurice Powell spell. He made 38 from 38 balls with 5 fours and a six.
In came Barrington Bartley who was coming off a golden duck in the semi finals the previous weekend. The fall of the first wicket seems to have stemmed the flow of runs, Bartley who was put down by Powell off his own bowling on 7 went on to top score with 51 from 45 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes before he was the 5th man out. J. Thomas was hit in the chest from a powerful on-drive from the bat of batting partner Bartley and was down on the ground for close to 15 min receiving treatment from his team mates with the help of Dr. Sam Ali. Thomas went on to make 42 from 41 balls including 4 fours before falling to off spinner Powell. Paul Salmon and C. Lewis contributed 27 and 24 unbeaten respectively and extras accounted for 18.
Bowling for Progressive; Alexis 2 for 35 from 8 overs, Kadeem Rowe 0 for 23 from 3 overs, Kelvin George 0 for 16 from 2 overs, John Sylvester 0 for 38 from 8, Powell 4 for 49 from 8, Marcie Cole 0 for 20 from 4 overs and Courtney Elliot 3 for 48 from 7.
Westbury skipper Barrington McLeish finish with 4 for 32. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
In their reply Progressive found the Westbury bowling attack too hot to handle and was dismiss for 132 with only 3 batsmen getting into double figures. Former Jamaica senior team invitee Dervin Morand top score with 33 from 46 delivers consist of 4 fours. Lloyd Rattary made 25 from 41 balls and Powell 24 from 53 balls with 1 four, extras was next best with 16. Progressive innings close at 132 for 9 from 34.4 overs after Alexis who retired hurt didn’t return.
The veteran McLeish was the pick of the Westbury bowlers finishing with 4 for 32 from 8 overs, Jermaine Lawson 1 for 34 from 8 overs, Linden St Louis 1 for 15 from 5, D. Thomas 0 for 19 from 6 overs, C. Lewis 1 for 18 from 5 overs and J. Thomas 1 for 4 from 0.4 overs.
As news spread across the ground of a Usain Bolt victory in arguably the most anticipated event of the London 2012 Olympics, the Westbury players and supports was celebrating another hold on the prestigious NYMCL Round Robin trophy at a presentation ceremony which was cut short because of rain.
PS. The NYMCL continues on 8/12/12 with the open round of the matches in the Roy Sweeny Challenge Cup.