Commonwealth Trounces Tri-City

Courtesy: Tricity Cricket Club

Schenectady, NY - Well, at least the weather was nice. That was the sentiment most in abundance Saturday, April 17th, as Tri-City CC opened their season with a rather sobering 108 run loss to Commonwealth CC from Bedford, MA. While the day began with glorious sunshine, the gathering clouds that brought some late day showers seemed to foreshadow the events on the field. Or perhaps the foreshadowing came a day earlier when, at the conclusion of practice Friday evening, it was suddenly revealed that a significant number of players who had committed to play the previous week were now unavailable. This from a team that regularly has guys fighting for playing time, especially for home games.

Alas, it became apparent that we would have to put together some type of team, as it was far too late to cancel. To their credit, many team members who hadn't planned on playing stepped up to fill the breach, and when game time rolled around at 1PM Saturday, we had full 11...sort of... Well, a couple guys were late, one had to leave and come back, one had to be rousted from his domestic chores to come out to play, and one was a middle-schooler, but still, we came to play.

Unfortunately, so did Commonwealth CC. After some tight early bowling from Tri-City's Alton Brisport and Lake Sukhram, the visitors found themselves limping along at an anemic pace, reaching just 15 runs in their first 6 overs. After a quick wicket fell, Commonwealth decided they had had enough, and brought out what would prove to be one of their big guns, Mohd Firasath. Firasath proceeded to play a very disciplined innings, waiting for just the right moments to strike and began rattling the Tri-City bowling attack with some well placed boundaries. In fact, until he unwisely ran himself out, with the able assistance of Tri-City newcomer and fielder extraordinaire Scott Carpenter, the Commonwealth slugger managed to lash 6 fours and 2 huge sixes on his way to a 60 run total.

Tri-City were hopeful, however, as a couple more quick wickets fell, but then came Ali Rana and Fazal Alam, or as the home team now refers to them, the Punisher and the Incredible Hulk.. In a display that is rarely put on by visiting teams in Kailberg's cozy confines, both Rana and Alam were masterful. Nothing Tri-City threw at them fazed the dynamic duo, and they calmly and methodically decimated the middle order bowling to the tune of 75 runs and 71 runs respectively. Until Kishore Jairam mercifully caught Rana off the bowling of Mike Persaud, he had managed to crush 5 sixes and 4 boundaries. Alam tried to keep up with 4 sixes of his own, and 5 boundaries, not out, no less. Their two stellar performance, coupled with an unusually high number of extras (29, including a record high 5 no-balls...), brought the visitors to a healthy 281 run total at the end of the 35th over, with just 5 wickets gone.

A stunned Tri-City wandered aimlessly off the pitch for drinks in between innings wondering what had gone so horribly wrong. Sure, there was some excitement in the field, and Scott Carpenter can be credited with a spirited and well fielded afternoon in his first cricket match ever, but overall, this was not the type of total the home team is used to chasing. Still, Tri-City has risen to the challenge on many an occasion, and it was a resolute and determined Mike Persaud and Alton Brisport who locked and loaded their bats and began the hefty assault on Commonwealth's total without missing a beat.

In fact, as the innings opened, it looked like the 282 run target was going to be a simple task to achieve. With the aggressiveness and confidence that only comes with years of top notch cricketing experience, Tri-City's own dynamic duo began to put on a batting show that appeared on its way to toppling the heroics of Commonwealth's Alam and Rana. By the time 7 overs were gone, Tri-City stood on a scorching 70 runs, with Persaud and Brisport punishing any loose bowling with reckless abandon. It was a veritable shooting gallery, but more importantly, it breathed life into the deflated hope of the home side.

But then the unthinkable happened. Rohit managed to entice Persaud into a slight mis-hit, and Wasif made sure he didn't drop the lofted drive as it settled quietly into his hands at mid-wicket. Sadly, Persaud left the pitch one shy of a half century, but with 7 fours and 2 sixes to show for his efforts. More importantly, his efforts set the table for the rest of the side to do their part.

Unfortunately, cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty, and when two surprisingly quick wickets fell for just one run, Tri-City began to hemorrhage. Despite Morris Persaud's best triage efforts, even he was unable to stem the blood flow. Brisport heroically held down his end with 5 monstrous sixes and four boundaries, winding up on 68, not out, but the Tri-City tail proved to be as long and mangy as a Buenos Aires street dog. The home teams last six wickets fell for a measly 10 runs, as Commonwealth's Deepak Suresh and Mohd Firasath feasted like wolves at a sheep shearing contest. While Rohit led the visitors with 4 wickets for just 38 runs (including the precious wickets of both Persaud brothers...), Deepak mopped up the tail with 3 for 23, and Firasath harvested the rest, finishing on 2 for 34.

And all of this was accomplished before the rains came, which was perhaps a fortunate thing in the end. And it certainly must have felt good for Commonwealth to be making the long drive back to Boston with lots of great performances to talk about. Even though the score was a bit lopsided, it is clear that both clubs have a healthy respect for one another, and it was great to renew acquaintences and old friendships. It is always enjoyable to play against other clubs who are respectful of the game, and play cricket in the spirit that it was meant to be played. Commonwealth proved that they are as classy in victory as they are in defeat, and hopefully the next meeting between these two clubs will be as competitive as today's game was fun. Well played, sirs!