superb USA defeat defending champions Bermuda by International Cricket Council

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Event:

ICC World Cricket League Americas Region Division One 2008/09

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DateLine: 29th November 2008

 

At Piccolo Park hosts USA turned in a superb performance to outclass defending champions Bermuda in a comprehensive 86 run victory, and remain on course for a second Americas championship title. After being put in to bat, the USA were not quite as fluent in the early stages of their innings, and even looked to be in some trouble at 116 for 5 after 31 overs. However a great middle and late batting order rally, led by a destructive innings by Rashad Marshall, 71 in 59 balls with 3 fours and 6 sixes, propelled the USA to a more than respectable 254 for 7 in their 50 overs.

 

Marshall received valuable support from Aditya Thyagarajan, 42 off 56 balls with one four, and together the pair added 119 for the sixth wicket. Carl Wright (33 from 56 balls, 4 fours) and Lennox Cush (31 from 48 balls, 3 fours) were the other main contributors. Pick of the Bermudan bowlers was Joslyn Pitcher with 3 for 45 in 9 overs, while Rodney Trott took 2 for 50 in 8 overs.

 

After a hesitant start, Bermuda looked to be getting on track for a serious run-chase thanks to a 83 run third wicket partnership between Lionel Cann and Stephen Outerbridge. Outerbridge made 41 from 79 balls with 2 fours, but the key dismissal was that of the in-form Cann for 78, from 94 balls with 9 fours, that marked the beginning of the end for Bermuda.

 

With the fall of the third wicket in the 26th over, Bermuda were not far off the pace, but the USA bowling attack piled on the pressure, especially with the introduction of Sudesh Dhaniram in the 28th over, who went on to bowl unchanged for 10 overs, taking 2 for 18. With Cush taking 2 for 25 in 10 overs, and Imran Awan doing the damage at the start and coming back to remove Cann, finishing with 3 for 16 off 8 overs, the job had been done, and Bermuda finished on 163 for 9 after 50 overs. In their final 24 overs Bermuda could only manage 59 runs while losing 7 wickets.

 

After the match, USA team manager Imran Khan was ecstatic with the win: “Playing against an ODI side, we came through with great determination, grit and excellence. Our batting order was tested, but came through, and our bowling and fielding exerted tremendous pressure when it counted.”

 

Bermuda coach Gus Logie was naturally disappointed with the result: “We did very well in the field for 35 overs, and a combination of inconsistent bowling and good batting from the USA made us pay in the end. We lost our focus and intensity at key moments, and we have to learn to consolidate when we lose wickets.”

 

USA now look forward to the traditional North American clash with Canada on Saturday, knowing that a victory will put them within grasp of the Americas championship title, while Bermuda must make sure of victory over Argentina, and hope for a USA loss against Canada, to remain in the hunt.

 

At the Central Broward Regional Park stadium, in what has become something of an Americas region derby match, the Cayman Islands demolished a poor Argentina by 108 runs. Early in the contest a result like this did not look likely as after choosing to bat first, the Cayman Islands were 20 for 3 and in some trouble.

 

But nothing counts more than experience sometimes, and a brilliant 167 run fourth wicket partnership between skipper Pearson Best and Steve Gordon resurrected the innings, and in some ways took the match out of Argentina’s reach, especially with their batting order missing the prolific Hamish Barton through injury.

 

Best made a fantastic 109, off 107 balls, with 11 fours and 4 sixes. Gordon added an invaluable 59 off 101 balls, with 2 fours and 2 sixes. In fact their partnership had set up a bigger total but the Cayman Islands could not make the most of the closing overs, losing their final 6 wickets for 31 runs. Far and away the best of the Argentina bowlers was Gary Savage, who finished with 4 for 16 in 8,5 overs, while Esteban Nino took 4 for 67 in 9 overs.

 

Any thoughts of an Argentina challenge were throttled by a miserly Cayman Islands bowling attack, led by the Bazil twins, Kevin and Kevon. Opener Kevon piled on the pressure with 2 for 22 in 10 overs, as did fellow opener Kervin Banks, wicketless but only conceding 19 runs in his 10 overs. But it was ultimately Kevin Bazil who took the bowling honours, routing the Argentina middle order as they tried to break the early shackles, and finishing with 5 for 13 in 8,1 overs. Kevin also weighed in with a superb direct-hit run out.

 

Runs were nowhere at the start of the Argentina innings, and after crawling to 41 for 2 in 20 overs, the writing was almost on the wall. Only all-rounder Lucas Paterlini made a significant contribution, but even he was stifled in his 32 made from 64 balls.

 

Cayman Islands captain Pearson Best was understandably pleased with the win: “We played much better today than the first two days of course, but we still need to improve in the batting to be consistent, and make better use of the powerplays. Good to win, but still lots of improvement needed.”

 

Hamish Barton, player-coach of Argentina, who missed the game through an ankle injury, commented: “The Pearson/Best partnership was critical, although in the end it was a good effort to fight back and bowl them out for 230 when they were heading for 260 or 270. But our batting in the middle needs a huge amount of improvement, and we need to show more urgency in picking up runs especially when the bowling is tight. We simply played poorly.”

 

Canada predictably had too much ammunition for Suriname in a comfortable 206 run victory, although they would have been disappointed to have let themselves slip to 168 for 7 after 38 overs, especially after opening bat Asif Mulla had led the way with a stylish century, scoring exactly 100, from 127 balls with 12 fours and 2 sixes. It was left to the lower middle order to restore Canada to a respectable total of 269 for 9 in their 50 overs, with captain Umar Bhatti making 37 (31 balls, 3 fours, 1 six) and Eion Katchay contributing a hard-hit 48, made from only 32 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes.

 

Suriname captain Doeraj Sewanan bowled well to take 3 for 19 in 4 overs, while Sanjai Oemraw took 2 for 51 in his 10 overs. The Suriname reply started disastrously as they slumped to 18 for 7 against the Canadian pacemen, but fought bravely to eventually muster 63 all out in 23,5 overs. Top scorer was Mohamed Bhoelan with 26, from 44 balls with 2 fours. Umar Bhatti was rampant with the ball, the left-arm seamer taking an impressive 6 for 15 in 9 overs, while Henry Osinde took 2 for 14 in 4 overs.

 

After his match-winning performance, Canadian captain Umar Bhatti said: “We performed reasonably weel, although there are no excuses for our batting, we should have scored more runs. There are two big games over the weekend, and its important our top and middle order find more consistency.”

 

Suriname manager Cyrill Bonar said the team was continuing to learn and trying to improve: “We were happy to have made a fight of the first part of the Canadian innings, and the bowlers bowled a much better line and length today. But our batsman had no answer to the pace and bounce of the bowling, and we have to learn to deal with that.”

 

The big clash between USA and Canada now awaits on Saturday, a win for Canada seeing them remain on course for the title, while also allowing Bermuda back into the hunt ahead of the Bermuda/Canada clash on Sunday, while a USA victory will leave only the Cayman Islands on Sunday between them and the Americas Division 1 title on home soil.

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2008 International Cricket Council)