…Toronto Cricketers capture Premiere title
By Frederick Halley
TORONTO, Canada — Victoria Park made light work of Scarborough Cricket Club (SCC) to emerge winners of the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) inaugural Elite League tournament which climaxed at the Ashtonbee ground, Scarborough,here on Saturday.It was another dominant performance from Victoria Park, which included former Guyana Under-19 captain Eugene LaFleur, following their disposal of six-time Premiere League champions Hawaiian Arctic Cricket Club (HACC) in the previous weekend’s semi-final encounter, played at the same venue.
After bringing a halt to the unprecedented six consecutive championships win by the Guyana-based HACC,by a whopping 105 runs, Victoria Park eased to an effortless eight-wicket victory in the final;once again denying SCC the chance of copping a title following their loss to HACC in the 2015 Premiere League final.
While Victoria Park were celebrating in grand style, Toronto Cricketers were also marking their entry into the Elite League with a hard-fought 29-run win over archrivals Islanders in the Premiere League final, played on the adjoining ground.
Set a target of 111, after SCC, like HACC the previous week, had succumbed to the spinners, Victoria Park were indebted to a fine unbeaten third-wicket partnership of 86 between middle-order batsman Anand Erramilli (50 not out) and opener Rao Yug (44 not out).
The pair of Erramilli and Yug came together with their team in a spot of bother at 25 for two and ensured there were no further alarms as they reached the required target in 23.1 overs,with the former slamming seven fours and the latter three fours and a six in the 50-over final.
SCC had earlier won the toss and elected to take first strike but found the going tough throughout their innings, losing wickets at regular intervals, mainly to the spin combination of the Victoria Park bowlers. Latchman Kumar bagged three for 22, Sailesh Patel three for 31, Jaimit Patel two for 13 and Parth Desai one for 13. The lone resistance came from Seeraj who struck two sixes and two fours in a top score of 26.
The Premiere League final saw Toronto Cricketers stoutly defending what looked to be an inadequate 125,after fast bowler Gustin Gibson, who was later named the most Valuable Player (MVP) for the losing Islanders team, claimed five for 17 in his allotted 10 overs in the 50-over affair.
Gibson received fine support from Nairoon Motilall (three for 34 in 10) and Mahadeo Moonasar (two for nine in 3,5),but their efforts were all in vain.
Skipper and MVP,Harjeet,Singh led from the front with a defiant,even half-century with three fours and a six,and crowned a fine all-round performance with three for 12 from seven overs,as Islanders plummeted to 96 all out in 33.2 overs. Abdulla Hasan took three for 11 from four overs.
The approach by the Islanders batsmen, who seemed bent on reaching what seemed a winnable score in a hurry, put paid to their hopes of copping the title after they had edged Toronto Cricketers by two points in the points standing race.
At the presentation ceremony which followed, SCA president,Shiv Persaud, congratulated the teams on their fine showing throughout the season,and reminded that the association’s annual presentation, dinner and dance is set for November 26.
