Independence Cup

(By: Nafis Ahmed, Commonwealth C.C)

Venue: Wrentham II

Final: Commonwealth vs Boston Gynmkhana Sport Club (BGSC)

Date: July 4, 2004

BGSC has been showing a lot of character of late by winning many league and non-league games in tight finishes. The game that followed the one described above (against Eagle CC) was also a cliffhanger where they snatched victory out of the jaws of defeat by defeating the hosts of the tournament by just one wicket.

CCC started the game with only 8 players, after Ali lost the toss and BGSC decided to bat to take advantage of the situation. This was an inauspicious start for CCC and if you have been reading reports from this correspondent, had a touch of déjà vu in it. Vasu opened the innings and using his excellent current batting form started to hit straight and hard. He had the depleted bowling side on the run from the word go and compiled a very solid 75, where the rest of the batting line up largely played around him. The other batsmen of note were Mahesh who steadied the middle order with a decent 25, and lower order non-methodical plundering by Navdeep (the hero of the game against Eagles CC) who made a very useful 26 with a six on the very last ball of the BGSC innings. Due to the industrious performances of the aforementioned batsmen BGSC ended up with a competitive 184 for 9 in the allotted 40 overs.

CCC started the run chase in a very positive manner, where Basu picked up where he left the day before, and played some forceful drives of the front foot. Fazal (15) could not repeat the miracle of previous day and after hitting a few lusty hits, got caught in the covers, trying to clear the field. Nafis joined Basu, where the latter raced towards a well-made half century. It was a commendable performance from the veteran as he also had a tough day in the field keeping wickets for 40 overs straight. Basu was eventually overcome by fatigue and finished his innings at 58 made in 52 balls. Ali joined Nafis just as spin was introduced from both ends. Good tight bowling and enthusiastic fielding made batting look a lot different from whence Basu was batting. Nafis (18) got out to a heave across the line, trying to force the pace and was immediately followed by Venkat who was bowled first ball off by the left arm spinner, Niam Ahmed. Niam continued his destruction of the CCC middle order and added Ali (21) and Rajiv (7) to his list of victims. CCC’s innings was in tatters by now and the lower order could not repair the damage. BGSC defeated Commonwealth by 22 runs to become the first Independence Cup Champions. Vasu was duly awarded the Man of the Match trophy for his scintillating 75.

It was a very well organized tournament, with a lot of effort and energy spent by the members of the Eagles Cricket Club. Hats off to ECC for their effort and for sowing the seeds for another good cricketing tradition in Massachusetts. Good work, lads!!!