EASTERN AMERICAN CRICKET ASSOCIATION – 2012

ACC Completes Group Phase With Perfect Record On Course To Semis

By John L. Aaron

Atlantis Cricket Club last Sunday firmly established that it has earned the right to be considered one of the top four clubs in the EACA, by completing its third successive win in the league’s Group “A” T20 Blitz, and against Long Island United Cricket Club (LIUCC) at Brentwood, NY.  Coming off of double-header victories against Phantom and Arsenal the previous Sunday, Atlantis apparently wanted to make an emphatic statement that the team was regrouping after its devastating loss to Everest/ACS in the league’s Power40 Zone Division “A” final.

Nicholas Stanford scored 108 to lift Atlantis to EACA 2012 T20 Blitz semifinals. Photo by John Aaron

Accepting the offer to bat first, Atlantis reached 192 for the loss of five wickets in exactly 20 overs. The club opened with vice-captain Nicholas Standford and Alex Amsterdam, and the duo remained at the crease until the 13^th over with the score at 133. Alex Amsterdam was caught off the bowling of Sajeed Khan going for a heave-ho, and only two runs shy of a half-century that included 3x6s and 3x4s. The slender all-rounder had played a supporting role alongside Standford who would go on to score his second century of the 2012 season before losing his wicket bowled Qasim Dastgir on the last ball of the 20^th over. Standford’s ton of 108 included 5x6s and 10x4s off 65 deliveries. Along the way he saw the fall of the wickets of Shawn Mason caught, 2, Henderson Blades run out, 4, Keon Lake caught and bowled, Khan, 00, with Jason Greaves emerging not out on 8.

The Atlantis wickets fell at 133, 144, 154, 157 and 192. Bowling for LIUCC – Sajeed Khan had figures of 4-0-31-3 and Q. Dastgir 4-0-31-1. The other four bowlers used by LIUCC were unable to penetrate the Atlantis batting line-up and accounted for a combined contribution of 127 runs. The LIUCC’s bowlers also contributed to 22 extras, including 18 wides.

Stanford in full flow during Atlantis’ recent tour of Guyana

In response LIUCC lost their first two wickets with the score at 17, both compliments of some fiery bowling from the arm of Casper Davis, Jr. Adnan Khan, 5 and B. Zia, 11. Except for fifth and sixth-wicket partnerships of 42 and 30 respectively, LIUCC found it very difficult to build a challenging response, as they kept losing wickets at a quick pace. LIUCC batting at times showed glimpses of a fighting spirit, yet the Atlantis bowlers, although giving up 20 extras were extremely proficient in restricting the LIUCC’s batsmen.

Top scorers for LIUCC were Waqas Ashiq, 44 off 31 balls, including 1×6 and 5x4s. J. Khan contributed 30 off 18 deliveries with 2x6s and 2x4s. Sajeed Khan, 14 and opener B. Zia, 11, were the only other LIUCC batsmen to reach double-digits in the team’s tally of 150 all out in 19.2 overs. The LIUCC wickets fell at 17, 17, 34, 47, 89, 119, 129, 123, 140 and 150. Bowling for Atlantis – Casper Davis, Jr 4-0-14-3, Jason Greaves 1.2-0-4-2, Hugh Craig 4-0-24-2 as K. Lake and D. Hurley each with one wicket for 29 and 34 runs respectively, rounding out the wicket-takers of the day.

Having completed a sweep of its three T20 matches in two weeks, Atlantis has set its sights firmly on the league’s T20 Blitz title for 2012. However, the club must first get past Richmond Hill in The Cage this Sunday, to advance to the 2012 finals. Game time 11 am, with Meten Meer Zorg facing Power Champs ACS Everest in the second semifinal from 2:30pm.