The action continued in the semifinal of the Commonwealth Cricket League Premier Division, when MMZ Cricket Club battled Majestics Cricket Club in a thrilling encounter played in the Eisenhower State Park in Long Island, USA. In the end, the Majestics, led by an aggressive 92 from Derick Narine, triumphed.
At the spin of the toss, MMZ chose to bat first because the wicket showed promise. Openers Azrudeen Mohamed and Imraan Hassan took to the crease, but after facing six balls, Hassan departed for a single run. The batsmen refused to choke in this vital match, thus a few wickets still fell, but Keith Edie top-scored with 42, which gave MMZ a fighting chance. Edie’s knock included 3 boundaries and one maximum.
Edie’s 42 was MMZ’s only substantial score, as no other batsman was able to hold on; they all fumbled in the field, making foolish mistakes at key moments. In the end MMZ ended on 131 for 9 in their allotted 25 overs.
Bowling for Majestics, Christopher Patadin took 2-29, Derick Narine 1-24, Nicholas Ramratan 1-9 and Karamchand Ramnarine 1-23.
Needing 132 for victory in 25 overs, the Majestics had their work cut out for them. They needed their openers to click for them and book them a spot in the final.
Derick Narine took on the role of main aggressor and smashed the ball to every part of the ground. It was a one-man show of pure aggression mixed with class as he scored a quickfire 92 off 37 balls, which included 2 boundaries and 12 maximums.
Eventually Narine’s wicket fell when he needed just 8 more runs for a century, and the team, needing just 7 runs for victory, tried to attack the ball and got trapped LBW. However, the damage had been done, and it was all over for MMZ.
Despite Patadin falling for 28, Narine had done the damage, and the Majestics Cricket Club ended on 132 for 2 in 13 overs. boBling for MMZ, Rabindra Rooplall took 2-9.
The finals of the Commonwealth Cricket League Premier Division will continue on Sunday at the same venue.It will see the Majestics taking on Deccan Challengers.
