Chan And Singh Steer NY All-Stars Pass Predators

By Ivor Chan
July 25th, 2008
In the fourth week of the New York Softball Cricket League 30 Overs Cup competition sponsored by Novelty Financial Group, New York All-Stars defeated Predators in a Division 1B match played at Baisley Park. Predators won the toss and elected to take first strike, the opening pair took 14 runs off the first over. But some steady and accurate bowling by NY All-Stars bowlers led by S. Dharampaul (4 for 21) and O. Sooman (2 for 13) restricted Predators to a small total of 147 runs all out in 23.1 overs.

At the 15 overs break Predators was 87 runs for the loss of 5 wickets and looking to get a significant total. But the NY All-Stars bowlers quickly dash those ideas and restrict Predators to only 60 more runs in the second half of their innings. The main contributors for Predators were the Captain L. Longhorne (42) who played major role in Predators innings, K. Williams (15), T. Gill (19) and J. Smith (19) who kept the NY All-Stars bowlers at bay for awhile.

When NY All-Stars took their turn at the crease, it seems as if they would make short work of the game chasing such a small total in 30 overs. But the attitude soon change in the NY All-Stars camp as they began to loose wickets at steady intervals after the fall of the first wicket in the second over with score at 10. Predator’s accurate bowling was frustrating the opposing batsmen into making errors and getting themselves out. At the end of the 15th over of NY All-Stars inning, the score board reads 79 runs for the loss of 6 wickets.

The game was firmly in Predators grasp, but Ivor Chan batting at number 6 was still at the crease picking up runs via any means; whether off the bat or extras. He soon found some allies in the lower order batsmen (N. Desilva 12) and D. Singh (23 not out). With I. Chan (50 not out including 3 sixes, and 3 fours) receiving ample support from these two batsmen he began to challenge Predators bowlers, the strategy soon begin to pay dividends.

I. Chan inning was highlighted by some timely shots to the boundary none more spectacular than a drive over cover point for six. At the other end D. Singh was putting his stamp on the game, hitting two consecutive sixes over long on. D. Singh is experiencing fine form having score 23 in the previous week game.
In the end the two batsmen were able to reverse the fortunes of the NY Alls-Stars team and guide them to victory. The pick of the bowlers for Predators were: N. Williams 3 for 32 and D. Abrams 2 for 28.