By Frederick Halley

TORONTO, Canada – Blairmont Cricket Club left-arm spinner Waqar Hassan made an auspicious start to his overseas stint, grabbing three for 31 from 6.5 overs to help Hawaiian Arctic Cricket Club (HACC) thrash Bawa Cricket Club by 32 runs, when play in the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) inaugural Elite League continued here over the last weekend.The former Berbice Under-19 player, who is vacationing in Canada, used the occasion to also get acquainted with the conditions and proved a perfect foil to the varied bowling attack.
The 23-year-old Hassan, who also narrowly missed selection to the Berbice senior teams a few years ago, had the unique distinction of capturing a wicket with his first delivery before returning in his second spell to capture a further two, as Bawa were shot out for 121 in 43.5 overs, chasing HACC’s 153 all out in 35 overs.
Bawa’s destruction was started by seasoned campaigner and former Guyana skipper Damodar Daesrath who ended with three for 23, bowling 10 consecutive overs on the trot while HACC captain Hemnarine Chattergoon took two for 23, also from 10 and left-arm spinner Bhim Bodhoo two for 25.
All-rounder Abid Roowala struck a defiant 40 after earlier bowling impressively to capture six for 16 in seven overs to wreck the top half of HACC.
But once again, it was the heroics of former Guyana wicketkeeper Azib Ali Hanif who motored to 51 with seven classical fours to record his second half-century in as many innings.
Hanif received valuable support from another former Berbice Under-19 player Riaz Kadir, who, in his first game for HACC, blasted a robust 45 which included eight fours. The two featured in a face-saving 70-run seventh-wicket partnership after their team were tottering at 82 for six.
Once Hanif and Kadir departed in quick succession of each other, the last four wickets tumbled for a mere run as HACC were dismissed for 153, a total that proved adequate in the end.
It was HACC second win over their archrivals and the fifth of the season, having lost to Victoria Park while their opening game versus Highland Creek suffered a washout.
Meanwhile, HACC president Narchand ‘Archie’ Mohan, who was mainly responsible for Hassan’s short sojourn with the team, was delighted with his performance. Hassan hails from Number Two Village, West Coast Berbice, the neighbouring village of Cotton Tree, Mohan’s birthplace.
HACC will take on last year’s beaten Premiere League finalists Scarborough Cricket Club (SCC) at Ashtonbee Number 2 on Sunday, July 24 next.