DESPITE the heroics of Island Warriors skipper Sean Wright, his effort failed to deny Victoria Park Cricket Club (VPCC) the 2023 Elite title when the Scarborough Cricket Association season climaxed last Sunday at the Ashtonbee Number One ground, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.
Already assured of the regular season title where they led the points table with 98 points ahead of Island Warriors 90 and Ambassadors Sports Club A 87, VPCC added the playoffs crown to their collection.

The new champions, who were runners-up to last year’s winners, Naseeb Cricket Club, won the toss and struggled to what seemed an inadequate 171 for nine (which included five penalty runs) in the 50-over affair before limiting their opponents to 154 all out in 30.5 overs, winning by 17 runs.
The attacking opener Wright, who belted 10 fours and six sixes, was in his usual no-nonsense mood, racing to 91 off 51 balls but failed to get any support from his players as a middle and lower-order collapse put paid to their hopes of capturing the crown.

Seemingly sitting well at 122 for four in the 17th over, Island Warriors collapsed inexplicably, losing their last six wickets for 30 runs with Wright among the victims, sent packing by the veteran Shailesh Patel at 125 for eight. Apart from Wright, only three other batters reached double figures – opener Gaspard Prospere (11), Trevor Caesar (12) and number nine Jamol Martin (14).

The wily Patel, who relishes these occasions, ended with the impressive figures of four for 35 from his 10 overs while Jaiman Vyas, Guyanese-born Shawn Perreira and Kumar Eramili supported with two for 23, 35 and 42 respectively.

Earlier, VPCC were themselves in dire straits, losing wickets at regular intervals and at one stage struggling at 103 for eight in the 37th over. It became 133 for nine in the 47th with the departure of Perreira (30). Number nine batter Meet Shah, with a fine 47, which included six fours and a six, dominated an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 33 with Vyas (five), ensuring that VPPC reached what turned out to be a winning score.
Maynord Whyte bowled a superb spell to finish with four for 15, while Jermylee Barnett took two for 26. Despite not taking a wicket, former Guyana Under-19 captain Eugene LaFleur bowled a miserly spell of 10 overs for a mere 15 runs.

Meanwhile, Invaders A registered a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Rhinos to cart off the Premiere League title, played simultaneously on the Ashtonbee Number Two ground.
Chasing a challenging 242 for victory, Invaders A cruised to victory in 43.1 overs with opener Aravindhane Naarasane (97 not out with eight fours and three sixes), Abishek Bhasin (61 not out with seven fours and a six) and Neeraj Yadav (65 with nine fours and two sixes) dominating the Rhinos bowling attack.
Bhasin, who represented Rhinos previously, was also impressive with the ball against his former teammates, claiming four for 29 in his 10 overs while Anindya Dass took three for 48.