By Frederick Halley

TORONTO, Canada – Defending champions Hawaiian Arctic Cricket Club (HACC) have signalled their intentions to continue their dominance in the Elite League, following three impressive victories in the opening rounds of the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) 2019 season here.

HACC’s latest win came via a eight-wicket thrashing of last year’s finalists Victoria Park Cricket Club (VPCC) at the Ashtonbee Number Two ground in Scarborough on Sunday, following their opening-round triumph against Highland Creek at Lamoreaux and a resounding six-wicket win versus newcomers United, also at Ashtonbee last Saturday. Their highly anticipated clash against Ambassadors suffered a washout.

Led by a superb unbeaten 63 from opener Azhad Amidon, HACC reached 143 for two in 41 overs after bowling out VPCC for 142 in 40.4 overs.

Playing in his first game of the season, Amidon started very sedately before blossoming out, striking two fours and four sixes in his fine knock and was there at the end when victory was achieved. He shared a 84-run third-wicket partnership with former Guyana and West Indies opener Rajendra Chandrika whose 44 included three fours and an equal number of sixes.

Earlier, VPCC were well placed at 120 for three in the 26th over but flattered to deceive, losing seven wickets for 22 runs as Crandon (three for 17 from 10 overs) and recently-appointed skipper Krishnadat Ramoo (two for 27 from 10) ran through the middle- and lower-order. Fast-medium bowler Allard backed up with two for 28 while Allando Minnot grabbed the last two scalps for four runs.

In last Saturday’s encounter United’s Swanil Pandey’s rearguard fightback saw his team dismissed for a challenging 177. Batting at number nine, Pandey shored up the innings with a quick-fire 70.

Left-arm spinner Bhim Bodhoo ended with the amazing figures of three for nine from 10 overs, four of which were maidens while Jerome Jack (two for 26), Abdil Parrsram (two for 35) and Raja Pooran (two for 37) were also among the wickets.

Consistent knocks of 38 not out from Pooran (two fours and three sixes), 32 undefeated from Anil Samuel (two sixes), 30 from Ramoo and 23 from teenager Arjuna Sukhu took HACC to a comfortable 178 for four in the 33rd over.

Set a modest 136 for victory after restricting Highland Creek to 135 all out in their allotted 50 overs, HACC raced to 136 for five in 26.2 overs on the sluggish Lamoreaux outfield, with Canadian national opener Rodrigo Thomas plundering eight sixes in a pugnacious 67.

Former Guyana and West Indies One-day player Royston Crandon chipped in with 20 (two sixes). Left-arm spinner Maaaz Pasha took two for 38 in six overs while Canadian middle-order batsman Ruvindu Gunasekera’s 33 (two fours) was the lone shining light for Highland Creek as left-arm spinner Parsram (three for 22), Allard (two for 13), Crandon (two for 22) and Jack (two for 30) were the main destroyers.

HACC will take on newcomers Janbaaz Cricket Club in their next game, set for Sunday, June 16, at Terry Fox.