It was a fitting finale to the Eastern American Cricket Association’s Elite 8 Championship final between American Cricket Society (ACS)/Everest and East Bank cricket clubs. Each team was evenly poised, but ACS/Everest had the edge after some sloppy bowling from East Bank.

On a heavy outfield and somewhat wet wicket ACS/Everest would post a formidable total of 258 off their allotted 40 overs.

East Bank won the toss and elected to field, as Stuart Mills and Steve Nowrangilall opened the innings for Everest/ACS. Pacer Tegana McKenzie struck gold in his second over when the score was 14, having Stuart Mills caught behind for 1.

Current USA national Under-19 vice captain Gregory Sewdial strolled to the wicket and continued from where he left off the previous week, as he along with Nowrangilall would pair up and contribute 43 for the second wicket before Nowrangilall was run out by Derrick McDonald and wicket keeper Prashad Mahadeo, attempting a second run.

In form batsman Karan Ganesh coming off a brilliant 89 against Richmond Hill the previous Sunday continued with his form partnering with Gregory Sewdial, as the two would consolidate the innings by adding 65 and punishing the bad balls to the boundary.

Gregory Sewdial’s inning would come to an end, as he played one on to his stumps from Sohan Dass. Sewdial struck 2x6s and 2x4s in his knock of 43 and off 51 balls.

The hard-hitting Amjad Khan came to the crease and plundered the bowling attack of East Bank. However, he would lose his partner Karan Ganesh who skied one from Fidel Sooknanan to the cover region to Shawn Thompson. Ganesh would contribute 36 from 36 deliveries and included 1x4 and 2x6s, one of the sixes was a huge hit over the bowler’s head and out of the park.

Captain Zamin Amin joined Amjad Khan, both of whom have represented the USA, and full of experience. The pair was brilliant in the wicket, as they displayed their experience. With Amjad Khan playing the attacking roll smashing the ball all over the park, the duo added 66 valuable runs for the fifth wicket. The wicket of Amjad Khan would fall when he struck one from Shawn Thompson to Zaheer Sadloo who took a magnificent catch at deep backward square with the score on 185. He struck a fireworks 57 from 37 deliveries and including 6x6s and 2x4s.

Each Everest/ACS pair delivered, establishing partnerships along the way, 14 being the least and 65 the highest, which had its toll on the bowlers.

Zamin Amin was joined by teammate Terry Hastoo a former Guyana Under-19 player and added another significant partnership which yielded 65 for the sixth wicket. Hastoo being more aggressive struck a quick 28 from 19 deliveries with 2x6s and one four. Zamin Amin would continue to the end and ensure a huge total. His knock of 45 from 38 balls was a gem of an innings, hitting 2x6s and one four.

In total, Everest/ACS would hit 16xs and 8x4s in a total of 258 for six wickets off their allotted 40 overs.

East Bank’s bowlers would all concede a rate of more than five runs per over. Tegana McKenzie had 2 for 44 from 8 overs, Derrick McDonald none for 38 from 6 overs, Inzamam Khan 22 for none off 4 overs, Sohan Dass 1 for 55 off 8 overs, Fidel Sooknanan 25 for 1 off 5 overs, Shawn Thompson 1 for 43 from 6 overs, and Zaheer Sadloo 31 for none off 3 overs.

East Bank started slow with no significant acceleration at anytime. They eventually were bundled out for a mere 79. Could it be that the target was a tall one? Did the asking rate have an effect on them? Most certainly, no one showed much of a fight, as wickets tumbled at regular intervals.

Debo Sankar along with Zaheer Saldoo opened the East Bank account, the pair put on 14 before losing Debo Sankar for 9 off the bowling of Trevor Walke, he was brilliantly caught at deep mid-wicket when Gregory Sewdial leaped into the air and took a one handed stunner to get rid of his former teammate.

Zaheer Sadloo was next to go for 10, bowled, as he comprehensively missed one from Shaheed Amin. The number three and four batsmen Prashad Mahadeo and Royo Sankar provided some resistance as they added 31. Royo Sankar steered a delivery to Karan Ganesh at cover-point and took off but was sent back half way down the track by Prashad Mahadeo after releasing, it was not on and he failed to recapture his ground.

East Bank would only go through the motions from there on; Prashad Mahadeo entertained the crowd with a cameo 26, as he struck Shaheed Amin for two sixes and a four in the over which he fell, caught by Karan Ganesh at wide long-on off.

Tegana McKenzie was the only other batsman to get into double figures, he made 10. Zamin Amin and Terry Hastoo would clean up the bottom order of the East Bank batting line up.

ACS/Everest would only use four bowlers in their innings to dismiss East Bank, Shaheed Amin had 2 for 48 from 8 overs, Trevor Walke 2 for 23 from his 8 overs, Zamin Amin 3 for 5 off 3 overs and Terry Hastoo had 1 for 3 off 2.3 overs.

Zamin Amin was awarded the MVP prize for his sterling contribution of 45 not out and taking 3 wickets.