By Dyon Ravello

Richmond Hill has been showing signs of their ability to feature as one of the clubs to be reckoned with in the Eastern American Cricket Association.  During the Power 40 Divisional play RHCC rounded up a four match winning streak, turning back eventual winners ACS/Everest and former T20 Champs Big Apple. Atlantis halted the Baisley Club’s push for a place in the EACA Power 40 Semifinals. Richmond Hill regrouped as they opened their EACA T20 Blitz campaign with a victory over former Champions Big Apple. RHCC completed the group phase with comprehensive victories to ensure a new Champion would be crowned in 2012.

At home, at the Cage, Richmond Hill batted first against Atlantis. Wazid Ward thumped three sixes and three boundaries to score 40 off 30 deliveries to give his side a brisk start. Following the fall of the openers, Zaheer Sadloo and Imran Alli combine for a partnership of 91 to distort the Atlantis spirit.  The pair mixed quick running with lusty hitting in a sensible third wicket stand. Zaheer’s 31 from 32 balls include three boundaries. It was Alli’s six maximums which blitzkrieg a seemingly impotent Atlantis bowling line up. Alli followed up his 81 a week earlier with 62 from 32 deliveries at a strike rate of 193.75. Following Alli’s dismissal in the 17^th over RHCC piled on 28 runs in the last 15 deliveries to close on 181 for 7.

Atlantis were not entirely out of sorts with pacer Casper Davis Jr completing an impressive spell of 4-0-15-1. There was no support after Davis as the spinners faded like many of the sixes dispatched onto the surrounding street at Baisley. Jason Greaves had 3-0-23-3 with Nicholas Standford and Alex Amsterdam ending with figures of 1/30 each.

In reply Altantis were undone by veteran seamer Deryck Mac Donald who accounted for Ryan Sukhdeo bowled for 3, (19/1) Nicholas Standford leg before for naught (19/2) and Kaveshwar Bridgepaul leg before for a duck (40/4).  Only Henderson Blades with 21 looked anything closed to challenging the RHCC attack but wickets fell at regular intervals to retard the momentum. Prashant Nair had two sixes and a boundary of his own as Atlantis were left to rue what could have been this season, 88 all out in 14.2 overs. For RHCC Mac Donald’s new ball spell of 4-1-18-3 was well supported by Zaheer 3.2-0-21-4 and the Wizard Ward 3-0-19-2.

Richmond Hill continuing to chart the course this season, one that began with a tie on the opening day. EACA T20 blitz final awaits RHCC will play the winner of Meten Meer Zorg and ACS Everest, Sunday 30^th 2012 Baisley Park the CAGE.