New York Softball Cricket
Hustlers Defeated Mafia For Mini World Cup Championship

By James Persaud
Nov. 13th, 2008
As the team’s members, supporters and well wishers made their way out of the park last Sunday, which is probably the last time for the 2008 season. It was a beautiful scene watching so many people bracing the weather to come out and support softball cricket.

Captain Kris Shobai of Hustlers collects the winning Mini World Cup Championship trophy from NY Softball Cricket League secretary James Persaud. The victorious Hustlers cricket club.

And some good memories of what has become a norm for so many years now as the New York Softball Cricket league had completed another successful season. In a season that has lasted almost eight months kudos goes out to the league sponsors, parks departments, umpires and all its supporters who have done their part in making this season a success.
In a another well planned day of finals and the weather man being as good as can be this time of the year, the league was able to complete all the games without any delay or interruption.

In the division IA finals between Hustlers and Mafia, Kris Shobai Hustlers was able to get past the Vicky Sugrim led Mafia to clinch his first major championship for his new team in his third attempt. Nigel Briglall won the man of the match award for his all round batting and bowling effort in securing the win for Hustlers.

Triumph Moves from Cellar to Penthouse
Over at Baisley Pond it was even a bigger upset as the Triumph team proved once again a team in the cellar could become champions. Going into the playoffs Triumph was not picked to even get past the first round, but after defeating Canal and Waves. Triumph proved that they were in it to be champions, Sunday morning their team was one of the first to arrive at the park and by eleven thirty their players had already worked up a sweat as they go jogging and do exercises in getting ready for the game to start.

Cotton Field won the toss and asked Triumph to bat, Triumph scored 95 for the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Vishnu scored 22 runs which earn him the man of the match award; Balram Singh 13 and Robin 12 were the other leading scorers. Ramesh grabbed 3 wickets for 14 runs for Cotton Field. This score was well within the reaches of Cotton Field and they immediately went about their batting with an approach believing that the championship was all theirs.

Nigel Briglall of Hustlers collects the MVP award.

Well Triumph had a different approach as they knew that this was their last chance for a championship in the 2008 season, they had many team meetings on the field and set a very defensive field placing whereby restricting the batting side from scoring runs easily.
After the tenth over Cotton Field was on 43 for the loss of 3 wickets and at this point the game was evenly placed.

When play resumed Triumph knew they had to get a few quick wickets and used their bowlers in short spells making changes regularly while the Cotton Field batsmen batted poorly making careless shots and getting out. Cotton Field loss wickets regularly and it was left with the last pair at the crease and still needing another 28 runs to win.

The last pair added 24 valuable runs before another careless running mistake in the nineteenth over bringing the game to an end for a heart breaking defeat and a superb and well deserved victory for the Triumph team. Massod top score with 13, Harold and Kalif made 10 runs each, bowling for Triumph Kenny took 3 for 16 and Khemraj, Ganesh and Boodram each took 2 wickets.

Meten Mere Zorg stop Young Brother from Triple Crown
Meten Mere Zorg division IIA champions stop Young Brothers from even getting close to a Triple Crown. Young Brothers batted first and scored a meager 92 runs, this total proved to be too small for the powerful Meten Mere Zorg batting line up including many division one players from the WISA league.

Meten Mere Zorg player Nayal Singh won the man of the match award for his all-round performance scoring 32 runs and grabbing 2 wickets for 19 runs.

Ravi Etwaroo presents a team captain with his award.

Cricket International Repeat as Division IIB Champions
Cricket International defeated Ravens for the division IIB championship, the team last season playing under the Tic Tavern banner won this division in the same competition. This game also including many division one players from the WISA league proved to be too much for the Ravens guys.

Ravens batting first scored 105 all out and the Ravens bowlers return with the ball and put on quiet a show restricting the Cricket International batting. With one ball remaining and the score tie Cricket International batsman was able to steal a single on the last ball of the game when the wicketkeeper made a throwing mistake. Sudesh Deodat won the man of the match award for scoring 29 runs in a winning effort for Cricket International.