By Frederick Halley
…HACC romp to resounding 230-run victory
TORONTO, Canada — Two brutal innings from debutant Teshawon Castro and Farook Hussain and another five-wicket haul from off-spinner Krishnadat Ramoo spurred Hawaiian Arctic Cricket Club (HACC) to a crushing 240-run victory over Superstars/Islanders when the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) Elite League50-over tournament continued last Saturday at the Ashtonbee number two ground.
On a day when it was raining boundaries, Castro blasted an amazing 18 sixes and five fours in his 156 while Hussain slammed 13 fours and five sixes in 106, his second ton in as many weekends, following the exact score for Apollo Cricket Club the previous Saturday in the Etobicoke League.
The assault was started by the powerfully-built opener Hussain, the former Young Warriors Cricket Club player, who raced to his ton in only the 12th over of the innings, dominating a second-wicket partnership of 85 with Ramoo, whose contribution was a mere six.
Castro, who hails from Trinidad and Tobago and who competes regularly in the Etobicoke League, then took centre stage with skipper Surendra Seeraj as the two pulverized the Superstars/Islanders attack to all parts of the Ashtonbee field.
The fifth-wicket partnership yielded 161 runs in just 15 overs as Seeraj joined the fun, hoisting five sixes and three fours in his 51. Former Guyana and Canadian national player Dilon Heyliger, who was also playing his first game for the club, chipped in with 21 (two sixes and a four) as HACC were bowled out for a formidable 370 in 42.4 overs.
Fast bowler Akeem Williams, who escaped the assault to a certain extent, ended with the impressive figures of five for 43 from 7.2 overs while Jermylee Barnett took three for 38.
Superstars/Islanders were never up to the daunting task and surrendered meekly for 130 in 33 overs as Ramoo mesmerized the top and middle-order to capture five for 19 in his allotted 10 overs. Part-time off-spinner Hussain crowned a fine all-round performance with two for eight in three overs while there was one wicket each for Heyliger and Zaheer Allard.
The victory saw HACC returning to winning ways following a disappointing performance in their previous game versus Scarborough Cricket Club (SCC) when they were bundled out for 100 in pursuit of 127 for what seemed an inevitable win.
Meanwhile, HACC president Narchand “Archie” Mohan congratulated the team for showing great resilience following the previous defeat and according to him, he can’t recall witnessing “such tremendous hitting” since being around the club.
HACC will now face last year’s winners, Highland Creek, in their next preliminary round match on Sunday at the same venue. The game marks a repeat of last year’s final and is expected to be a hotly-contested affair.
