The third week of the SFSCL Spring campaign was set to get underway as Outlaws were set to host CSU at Wellman field. The last time these two teams met, CSU were able to upset the capable Outlaws team in the first game of last season. Outlaws would be looking to exact a little revenge for that defeat. The captains made their way to the middle to spin the toss, and as he did in the previous games, Kendall Ramsijewan won the toss for his side. CSU would stick with the original equation and opted to have a bat first in the blustery conditions.
CSU sent out the same pair from the previous game to open, going with Balram Pooran and Nickolas Fagu. Outlaws would turn to their reliable opening bowler in Fahron Persaud to curtail the CSU innings. The openers began the game rotating the strike and pouncing on loose deliveries to push the score to 15 in quick fashion. It was at that point that the batsmen were a bit indecisive with a quick single and Pooran was adjudged short of his crease with some good work from Anoop Basdeo and Vivian Khan. The skipper Ramsijewan was the next man in and would have hoped to replicate his innings from the last time these teams met. Their partnership would be interrupted shortly as Fagu would be bowled off the bowling of Asif Sharief leaving the score at 2-28. Dhanraj Singh was the next batsman in and would support Ramsijewan during their third wicket partnership of 36 as they pushed the score to 64. Kaiume Mohamed was the next into the attack and he would run through the CSU middle order as he used his quicker delivery to his advantage. He induced a drive from D Singh that found its way to Andrew Permaul, who took the catch. The next man in was the Vice Captain, Mikey Singh who would have hoped to stabilize the innings, but he too would not last very long. After striking a four, Mohamed induced another drive but this one also found a fielder, Fahron Persaud who took that chance leaving the score on 71-4. Ramsijewan was still batting, with wickets falling all around him, welcomed Hasratali Amin to the crease to hopefully stabilize and build an innings. That was not to happen as Mohamed produced an unplayable delivery that comprehensively bowled Amin sending CSU reeling. To make matters worse, Ramsijewan was removed without the scoreboard being touched leaving the score on 83-6. He played a lone hand in the batting line up as he scored 46 striking 4 sixes and 2 fours. CSU would have small contributions to see the final score of 147 which was severely below par for this particular ground with Krish Manohar scoring an unbeaten 24 at the end.
Ramsijewan – 46
Mohamed – 3 for 33
Outlaws were happy to have gotten such a small total to chase, wasted no time in their pursuit of victory. They sent out Anoop Basdeo and Vivian Khan to begin proceedings. They would set the tone of the chase as they started building a partnership, watchfully negotiating the CSU opening bowler Ryan Munisar who started with a maiden over. Nickolas Fagu was the other opener, who started with disciplined lines but relinquished a boundary to Khan before the over completed. Khan would then tee off in the next over as the pair roughed Munisar up to the tune of 13 runs and would match that production in the next over from Fagu, effectively chasing the two openers from the attack. Pooran was then called in as CSU needed to stem the run feast that Outlaws were enjoying at the moment, and he would only allow one boundary is his first over. The skipper then brought in Dhanraj Singh who would give up double digit runs, but his captain stuck with him. Pooran’s second over went for only two runs, placing pressure back on the batsmen, and D Singh would strike in his very next over. On his third delivery Vivian tried to play a ball past the infield, but Manohar took a blinder to break the early partnership. On the very next delivery, new batsman Nazim Ali flayed a ball through the offside, right down Fagu’s throat that he gobbled up leaving the score on 58-3. Andrew Permaul was the next batsman in and he wouldn’t last an over as Pooran had him bowled with his second delivery after the first was dislodged over the square-leg boundary for 6. Fahron Persaud would replace him and he would provide a little spark as he struck four boundaries in quick succession, but he would be caught and bowled off the bowling of M Singh. That would bring in the hard hitting Kaiume Mohamed and along with Basdeo, they would see Outlaws to the required total with relative ease. Mohamed would hit a quick fire 24 not out, striking two boundaries and two sixes during his innings. Basdeo showed great resolve, patience, and intelligence during his innings as he compiled a match winning 51 not out striking 8 boundaries. Outlaws completed a very efficient win, showcasing their champion pedigree.
A. Basdeo – 51*
V Khan – 35
D Singh – 2 for 25
Outlaws had exacted revenge for their defeat last year by beating CSU with bat and ball. CSU now sits at 1-2 and Outlaws are still undefeated. Tune in next week as CSU hosts new team SW Cricket Club at Tamarac Recreational Park.
