AN entertaining century by national cricketer, Bhaskar Yadram, led the Liberty Lions to a thrilling two-run victory, when action continued over the weekend in the New York National Cricket League (NYNCL) Saturday 30-over competition.
The predominantly overseas-based Guyanese team which had several players with national experience in its lineup, won the toss and opted to bat against Game Changer’z in a reduced 25-over match at the Cunningham Park ground.
Skipper Richard Ramdeen and Syed Abdulla played a few shots and put together 60 for the opening wicket. Ramdeen, a former national cricketer, scored 32 (2X4s, 3X6s) from 18 balls before he lost his wicket. This brought Yadram to the crease, and he began batting himself in. After Abdulla fell for 42 (1X4, 4X6s) from 24 balls, Yadram and fellow current national cricketer, Chanderpaul Hemraj, added 46 for the third wicket, before the latter fell for six.
Yadram continued his onslaught, and with number five batsman, Satish Dwarka also playing freely, the two were able to add 108 runs for the fourth wicket.
In total, Yadram belted 16 sixes and two fours off 47 balls in his score of 116. Last week, he scored 105 unbeaten runs against Meeri Peeri in the same competition.

When he fell in the 20th over on Saturday, his teammates tried to keep up the run rate. Dwarka with 39 (3X4s, 2X6s) from 25 balls and Kevin Ramdeen 32 from 11 balls helping to push the score to 285-9 by the end of the innings.
Game Changer’z were up to the task in the middle and dominated the first 10 overs of their innings, with their openers, Umar Farooq and Nosherwan Adil blasting 112 in 10.3 overs. Farooq, who was bowled by Yadram, scored 70 (1X4, 9X6s) quick runs from 31 balls.
Adil lasted six additional overs before he was bowled by Hemraj for 82 from 56 balls (4X4s, 8X6s).
With the opening pair out of the equation, the Guyanese cricketers were able to wrest some control back in the middle overs with Yadram and Kevin Ramdeen leading the bowling attack.
A blitz of an attack from number seven batsman, Saqib Shahid (51 from 21 balls, 2X4s, 4X6s), however, brought Games Changer’z back. When he fell, caught by Yadram off the bowling of Kevin Ramdeen, the side needed just 22 runs from 14 balls, but the Lions kept their bowling and fielding tight, which left their opponents just short on 283-9 when the overs expired.
Yadram finished with 3-53 and Kevin Ramdeen 3-72 from their allotted five overs.