Canal Cricket Club.

Canal On Fire

By James Persaud
July 25th, 2008
Canal, a little village on the west bank of the Demerara River, is said that the people like it so much that they name it twice #1 and #2. Rishi Baldeo had sponsored a softball cricket team called Beach Boys for many years; this year earlier in the softball season the team folded (broke up). Rishi wanted to stay in cricket and he came up with the idea of making a Canal team, the village he came from in Guyana. The team is made up of players mostly from the Canal area.

The Canal team is playing in the New York Softball Cricket League second division and so far the team has played undefeated in the 30 Over Cup competitions after 4 games. In the first game of their season Canal take on Waves, Waves batted first making 136 and Canal reply with 138 for 5. In the second game the contest was even easier against Sheffield 55 all out and Canal 56 for 1 in 5 overs and the third game was against Volcano. Canal batted first and made 185 all out and Volcano yield for a mere 57 all out.

Last Sunday perhaps the toughest challenge so for Canal was against the J P Singh led Wildfire. Both teams looked equally matched if not in talent but certainly in name, both teams has many players with the Singh last name.

Wildfire won the toss and felt that the wicket was more suited for batting and thinking that they stand a better chance batting second. Canal started their innings with R. Deodat and D. Singh, Deodat sent the first ball from Vinod over the mid off boundary for a six. The second ball after hesitating for a quick single he was gone run out, Anand Singh joined Danny who was in a punishing mood and knock Vinod for another 11 runs in the over. Wildfire struck twice in the fourth over removing Anand (17) and P. Harriprashad without scoring. By the 15 over the Wildfire bowlers had done a fair job of sending back 6 batsmen J. Prashad (0), D. Singh (26), R. Dukhi (7) and J. Persaud (8) but the damage was done as the scoreboard read 105 for 6.

After the break, play was resumed and the last 4 wickets added another 48 runs for Canal, M. Harriraj (25), R. Baldeo (14), R. Ramchatar (6) and M. Harriprashad (1) for a total of 153 all out.

Wildfire time at the crease was no easy task for the batsman as there was a steady flow from the stand as R. Baldeo (2-35) and J. Prashad (3-7) kept the pressure on and later P. Harriprashad (5-6) came on and finished off the tail enders. Wildfire never got settled against the bowlers and exceptional good fielding by the Canal players. By the 15 over the last pair was at the crease and play continued without stopping, Wildfire innings came to an end in the 16th over for a misery 78 all out. The Wildfire’s batsmen went in this order L. Singh (0), V. Singh (4), C. Singh (10), K. Sookhoo (5), R. Narine(9), Patrick (0), M. Narine(2), A. Singh (0) and Border (0), the only batsman to offer any resistant in the end were P. Tulsi (19) and Sanjay (5). Tulsi was showing fine form at the crease but got little help from the other batsman as he tried to fend off the bowler and kept most of the strike as if just to keep the innings going, he was severe on Baldeo knocking 16 runs off him in his last over.

In Canal third game against Volcano, another prominent son of the Canal area, businessman Mr. James Manbahal, who is mostly in hardball cricket, dropped by and spoke to the team after the game ended. He said that he heard about the team and that he was proud that the guys were able to put such a good team together. He also said that he is always willing to help and asked that the team carry and make the Canal name proud.

NYSCL 30 Over Cup 4th games summary:
Division IA
United Star Vs Country Boys
United Star 237 for 7
Bobby Pahalad 103, M. Narayan 38, C. Ramdanny 34
E. Chance 2-19, G. Towler 2-22
Country Boys 147 for 9
Ward 21, A. Jerrick 20
F. Baichoo 3-13, B. Pahalad 2-15, V. Dhanraj 2-22

Assassins Vs Hustlers
Hustlers 110 all out
Popie 28, K. Shobai 20
A. Monsammy 4-17, N. Narine 3-19, Dilchand 2-20
Assassins 98 all out
A. Monsammy 25, Chatterpaul 17
R. Mohan 3-16, N. Brijlal 2-14, Raj 2-26

Division IB
Canal Vs Wildfire
Canal 153 all out
D. Singh 26, M. Harriraj 25, Anand Singh 17
L. Singh 3-25, Sanjay 2-1, H. Singh 2-25
Wildfire 78 all out
P. Tulsi 19, C. Singh 18
P. Harriprashad 5-6, J. Prashad 3-7, R. Baldeo 2-35

New York All-Stars Vs Predators
Predators 147 all out
L. Longhorne 42, T. Gill 19, J. Smith 19
S. Dharampaul 4-21, M. Wahid 3-44, O. Sooman 2-13
NY All-Star 152 for 7
I. Chan 50 not out, D. Singh 23 not out
N. Williams 3-32, D. Abrams 2-28.

Division IIB
Better Hope II Vs Cricket international
Better Hope II 161 for 7
F. Razack 60, A. Sukhanan 18 not out, N Ramroop 15
S. Persaud 3-42, A. Hargobin 2-26
Cricket International 151 for 9
A. Hargobin 52, D. Autar 18, S. Mohabir 17
J. Mohabir 2-7, F. Razack 2-21

Ravens Vs Heat
Ravens 189 for 9
Ravens R. Bansi 81, S. Harrichand 27
R. Lall 2-26, D. Dhaniram 2-29, V. Dhaniram 2-38
Heat 191 for 5
D. Sanichara 37, D. Dhaniram 37, M. Perry 32, V. Chandarpal 25
R. Williams 2-49, S. Behari, S. Harichand, S. Sawh took 1 wicket each

Falcons Vs Young West Indies
Falcons 141 for 8
R. Singh 26, M. Singh 21, N. Nauratan 18
S. Persaud 2-18, Vishal 2-29, Irshaad 2-41
Young West Indies 71 all out
Vishal 21, Rajin 13
V. Ramnarine 4-30, M. Singh 2-5, C. Bachu 2-21