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By Ricardo Inniss

Before a large crowd of South Florida cricket fans, Sportsman, after trying four times previously without success, prevailed in their fifth attempt, when they thoroughly outplayed reigning champions International, thus, dethroning them to take the South Florida Cricket Alliance (SFCA) Premier League 45 overs title.  All the action took place at the North Dade Elementary School, on Sunday September 19.

Asked to occupy the crease first after losing the toss, Sportsman after a resolute opening stand of 70 between the left-handed Moien Mohamed and the twenty year-old elegant right-handed Ryan Ramnarine, reached a defendable total of 176 all out, off 41.1 overs of the allotted 45.

Moien in fine nick, smashed 4 fours and 2 sixes in a well measured topscore of 49. The young and talented Ramnarine, fashioned an attractive knock in which he banged 5 fours and a six in an enterprising 42. Helping to boost the total, Vickram Ramoutar hit 28 (1 four & 2 sixes), Mustaq Mohamed got 22 not out (1 six) and Shahan Razak 20 (2 fours).

Reeling at one stage on a 109 for 7, Sportsman fought back through a 9th wicket partnership worth 39 invaluable runs, shared by Mustaq and Razak. Bowling for International, medium-pacer Tazmool Hassain captured 4 for 45 from 9 overs, Skipper Baliram Nayaik took 2 for 8 in 2.1 and Zachary Sattuar, 2 for 26 in 9.

With two of their leading batsmen Timothy Surujbally and Steven Taylor away in Atlanta, representing the South East in the 2010 USA Cricket Eastern Conference, International in reply, was pinned down by some very steady and tight bowling from opening bowlers Faizal Sherif and Mustaq, conceding only 39 runs after 15 overs, as the scoreboard read 39 for 3. Soon after staggering on 44 for 4, the 2009 champions never recovered and were finally dismissed for 137 after 41 .5 overs, leaving Sportsman the victors by a decisive 39 runs.

Luke Quemina cracked 3 fours whilst scoring 24, Skipper Nayaik compiled 23, Gaston Walker was undefeated on 22 (1 four & a six), Doane Ranger got 16 (1 four & a six), while Azad Alrashid and Joey Pierre got 10 each. Bowling Sportsman to their first ever Premier League 45 overs triumph, Skipper and off-spinner Riad Mohamed, prised out 4 for 28 from 8 overs, the medium-pace of Mustaq ripped out 3 for 26 from 9, Vickram Ramoutar snared 2 for 21 in 6.5 and Sherif 1 for 21 in 9.

Soon after the match, Skipper Riad Mohamed speaking to DreamCricket.com had this to say, “(We were) pulled back from 109 for 7 by Mustaq and Razak, and then restrict(ed) them to 39 for 3 off 15 overs and just a little later 44 for 4, (that) put us in control and set up the 39 run victory. If they claim they were without two of their leading batsmen, last week with them in the team we bowled them out for 199.”

The following is what International’s skipper Baliram Nayaikk had to say after losing the final to Sportsman, “with my two leading batsmen away on duty in Atlanta, I was depending on players like Johnson, Pierre and Alrashid along with myself to carry the batting, but this did not happen as all of them failed and after a collision in the field, I was hurt but tried my best. At one stage we had them on the ropes, but let them off. Anyway, on the day, they played the better cricket, and deserved to win.”