New York Destroyers crowned the Radiant Info Twenty20 2009 Champions

The Radiant Info USA Twenty20 2009 ended amidst great fanfare. Three days of exciting T20 cricket played by some of the best cricketers in the USA culminated with the New York Destroyers emerging the champions.

The closing ceremony, which included entertainment by DJ Dynamix, had the entire assembled crowd and players tapping their feet, if not dancing all out, none more so than the Destroyers themselves. There were speeches by Kranthi Bayya, the CEO of DreamCricket.com thanking the sponsors as well as the assembled fans for their support of this premium tournament. Ms. Bayya, whose pioneering efforts as a woman in a predominantly man's world that is cricket, took it upon herself to recognize the women behind the success of the Radiant Info USA Twenty20 2009, led by Sangeetha Subramanian, the Marketing/Communications manager of the tournament and including Bhagyashree Bohra, Jyoti Myneni, Soundari Shiv Kumar.

The Chief Guest, Mr. Balwinder Singh Sandhu was as candid as ever as he provided the winning team with pointers on what they could do to avoid the needless tense moments that surrounded the New York Destroyers' batting camp as they were chasing down a small total of 94.

Mr. Venu Myneni, CEO of Radiant Info, congratulated the teams for reaching the Finals and thanked them for a wonderfully entertaining match. He also shared his excitement at the smooth execution of the tournament and said he thoroughly enjoyed his visits to the ground during the three days of the tournament.

NY Skipper Barrington Bartley won Man of the Match. 

Also in picture: Vinod Koduru (COO) and Venu Myneni (CEO) of 

Radiant Info.

The Radiant Info USA Twenty20 2009 had one of the highest purses within the USA - the winners, Bedessee New York Destroyers led by Barrington Bartley took home USD 5,000 along with the elegant championship trophy while the runners up, Neil McGarrell's Global Challengers received a Runners-up trophy and a check for $2,000.

There were a whole host of other awards for outstanding performances in all departments of the sport. The presentation party included executives/ proprieters from the various sponsors that have supported DreamCricket.com in their endeavor to catapult cricket in the USA in various aspects such as professionalism, entertainment value, and most importantly the quality of the cricket itself by attracting some of the best talent in the land and making the Radiant Info USA Twenty20 the huge success it is.

Neil McGarrel, Runners up (Global Challengers) Captain and
El Dorado Best Bowler being interviewed by Gokul Chakravarthy

- Tournament Commissioner as Sandy Mukherjee of Headstrong looks on.

These luminaries that presented the various awards were:

• Mr. Sandeepan Mukherjee, Executive Vice-President of Headstrong
• Mr. Acky Kamdar, Executive Vice-President of Headstrong
• Mr. Rick Damura, Owner of Papoo's, NYC - Italian Cuisine & Bar
• Mr. Satish Bhalerao, Owner Network Solutions Inc.
• Mr. RamKishan Hanumara, Manager, Paradise Biryani Pointe group
• Mr. Venu Myneni, CEO of Radiant Systems
• Mr. Vinod Koduru, COO of Radiant Systems
• Cheif Guest, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, who presented the Man of the Match award to the captain of New York Destroyers, Barrington Bartley for a choking spell of 3 overs - 0 maidens - 6 runs - 3 wickets, followed by a nerve-resting 15 with the bat at a crucial stage of his team's chase and
• Ms. Kranthi Bayya, CEO of DreamCricket.com

Andrew Gozalves, Reebok Man of the Series and
Margaret Wong Best Batsman

(Pic: Shiek Mohamed/NYCricket.com)

The winners of the various individual awards were:

• Margaret Wong Best Batsman of the tournament award, which included a Reebok bat: Andrew Gonzales (Global Challengers) (156 runs in 4 matches)
• El Dorado Best Bowler of the tournament award, which included a Reebok bat: Neil McGarrell (Global Challengers) (14 ov. - 0 maidens - 55 runs - 10 wickets in 4 matches)
• El Dorado Best Fielder/ Collabera Wicket-keeper of the tournament:, which included a Reebok bat Akeem Dodson (New York Destroyers)
• Reebok Man of the Series which included a Reebok bat: Andrew Gozalves (Global Challengers)

Mr. Acky Kamdar presented the Headstrong finalists medals to the Global Challengers team as well as the Headstrong Runners-up trophy to Neil McGarrell.

Mr. Vinod Koduru presented the Runners-up trophy to the Global Challengers.  Mr. Myneni presented the Radiant Info Championship trophy to New York Destroyers.

Akeem Dodson of NY, Collabera Best keeper &
El Dorado Best Fielder receiving his award from Vinod Koduru,

COO of Radiant Info

The tremendous contribution made by the umpires from the USA Cricket Umpires' Association in elevating the level of cricket through this tournament was not lost of the Tournament Committee either as special commemorative medals were presented to them by Mr. Satish Bhalerao of Network Solution Inc.

Special "Spirit of Cricket" awards were also presented to the Global Challengers management as well as to the Washington Senators management. All in all, the cricket carnival that was the Radiant Info USA Twenty20 was enjoyed most thoroughly by the throngs that visited the Watsessing Park in Bloomfield, NJ throughout the Labor Day weekend, the players as well as the Tournament Organizing Committee and employees and executives of DreamCricket.com.

The rush and euphoria of Radiant Info USA Twenty20 2009, the sophomore effort of its kind by DreamCricket.com, has left the cricketing community of USA with wonderful memories, has set new benchmarks for events of this kind in the USA, and a hunger and yearning for the next such tournament from the DreamCricket.com stable.