EVEREST/ACS registered a 12-run victory against the New York XI in the final of the New York National Cricket League (NYNCL) 25-over competition on Saturday last at Baisley Pond.

Both clubs are filled with overseas-based Guyanese players.

New York XI won the toss and opted to bowl first. Former national U-19 cricketer, Chris Patadin and former first division player, Wasim Haslim, however, placed the bowling team on the back foot early, by producing a solid 91-run first wicket partnership.

Patadin was the more watchful of the two. His 34 runs came from 38 balls and included three fours and a six.  Haslim on the other hand, belted four sixes and three fours in 34 balls for an even 50.

When the openers fell in consecutive overs, New York XI were able to wrest some amount of control, but eventual Man-of-the-Match Deveshwari Prashad, batting at five, went on to produce an innings high 58 runs.  In his 35 balls at the crease, he belted six maximums.

At the other end of the pitch, wickets were tumbling.  Former National Jamaican spinning all-rounder, Damion Jacobs (4), Guyana’s first class fast bowler, Raun Johnson (1), former U-19 cricketer, Karamchand Ramnarine (0) and Zamin Amin (0) all fell cheaply, but with Prashad staying until the end, Everest/ACS were able to get to 177-8 in 25 overs.

US cricketer, Karan Ganesh and Ryan Girghary picked up two wickets each to lead the bowling attack.

New York XI lost one of their star players, Akshay Homraj (0) in the first over of the chase. The US national cricketer, who played at the U-19 level in Guyana, left them in a spot of bother at 1-1, but fellow opener, Mushin Perkhan and number three batsman, Hemendra Ramdihal, added 87 for the second wicket.

When the two batsmen fell, both to the leg-spin of Jacobs, former Guyana and West Indies U-19 cricketer, Zamal Khan, came to the crease.  Although he played a few shots and batted himself in, his team’s middle and lower order batsmen were not as fortunate and they crumbled against Haslim and Johnson. Haslim spun his way to two wickets and Johnson to one with two run outs, which restricted the run flow.  Khan, who struck two sixes and three fours in a 36-ball 46, kept his team in the game until he departed at the end of the 24th over.

New York XI then had a slim chance, if they had gone all guns blazing in the last over, since it came down to 23 runs from six balls, but it was not to be and they ended the innings at 165-9.

On Sunday Everest/ASC lost the 30-over final to Richmond Hill Liberty CC.