Cosmos Celebrates Silver Jubilee

(Cosmos)- And the Oscar goes to Cosmos Cricket Club. Oh, what a 25th Anniversary celebration! The night of Saturday, November 24, 2007 belonged to Cosmos, an institution that is without doubt one of the best-organized cricket clubs in the United States. The Club showcased its 25th Anniversary celebration in grand style at the elegant Rigatti Terrace before a packed audience, estimated at over two hundred. It was a festive and extraordinarily awe-inspiring occasion as the Club reminisced on its many lofty achievements.

The festivities got off on schedule as the Cosmos youths took to the podium. Seventeen year old Anthony Daly gave the invocation and xx year old Atiq Baksh delivered the welcoming address and introduced the Master of Ceremony for the evening - one of the stalwarts of Cosmos – Club executive, Carl Bennett. It was a precocious performance by the two Cosmos youngsters. Baksh, in particular, seemed to cause some pause from the MC as he demonstrated tremendous signs of maturity and presence. He underscored his commitment to the Club commenting that as a young member of Cosmos, he was inspired by many of the Club’s senior members, gleefully exclaiming his intentions of being a part of Club’s core “for the next 25 years.” Young Baksh’s sentiments seemed to set the tone for the night and for Bennett who then took center stage, greeting the audience before introducing the Club’s President, Sham Ali.

The ultra-prepared Ali delivered a riveting keynote address with sheer eloquence and pointed command as he recapped an impressive legacy. He laid the foundation, from the Club’s humble beginnings to the motivation of its constituents, declaring, "Cricket became a catharsis for members of Cosmos and a link to a home away from home. It is the thread that Cosmos used to weave the fabric of the West Indian culture into the diverse complexity of the American society, while extending our arms and opening our doors to cricketers across the globe." The President went on to outline an innovative and perhaps defining initiative afoot at the Club, designed to assist Cosmos’ younger members in their academic pursuits by providing educational stipends. Ali saw the stipend initiative as one that not only set the Club apart from others but one that offers a refreshing and useful motivational tool to encourage the Club’s youngsters to pursue higher achievement, suggesting, “Cosmos is not only about cricket.”

Bennett would return to get the dinner underway, simultaneously introducing #56 Leonard Achaibar and Australian-born, #180 Paul Cluff as co-hosts. The MC and hosts took turn cajoling and entertaining the receptive audience with quirky statistics, taking time to also acknowledge distinguished guests in attendance. It was a fun-filled dinner as Achaibar, another of the Club’s stalwarts and the 56th member to join the Club, seemed to captivate the audience with some unique tidbits of Cosmos’ 25 years of history. Achaibar brought the house down while offering some cautionary disclaimers at the expense of the MC, #50 Bennett, relative to uncorroborated information from spectators that was disseminated at cricket matches where the duo delivers commentary. Bennett in turn responded with some exquisite drives of his own as both men deftly interacted and masterfully handled the all important occasion. Paul Cluff was also a refreshing addition as he shared experiences as a youth in Australia and his days at the Australian Cricket Academy.

It was then on to the presentation of awards. In addition to the achievement awards for the 2007 season, Cosmos extended honorary memberships to some of their past members and life-long supporters. Mrs. Sabita Kissoon and Mr. Kris Prasad were quite gracious to have been the recipients of the illustrious recognition for their significant contributions to the Club over the years, but particularly in its infancy. A commemorative album, chronicling the history of Cosmos and an artistic display of Cosmos members may have stolen the show and spruced up the night as the Club’s members and the audience appreciatively perused the collage.

Several current and former Club members smartly outfitted in their club uniforms and tie were on hand expressing their deep appreciation for their club. Among them were Lakeram Lakshman, Clement Walsh, Ricky Kissoon, Zafar Syed, Rashid Afzal, and Ejaz Asgarally. The “giants” of the Club, including former Guyana and US national representative and perennial captain of the Metropolitan Cricket League’s team during the nineties, Ashmul Ali, the longest serving former President of the Club, Mohan Kissoon, and long standing Vice President, Shafeek Ali were not to be outdone as they too basked in the festivities. Hall of Famer and General Manager, Shadi Khan, was also on hand to help celebrate the historic milestone. When Bennett asked an arch rival, the keen competitor and all-rounder, Trevor Walfall for his reaction to Cosmos’ milestone, he stated quite emphatically, "Cosmos is pure at heart and unmatched. They have some of the brightest minds and have extended that into the cricket arena."

Those in attendance were engrossed in a ceremony full of character and treated to an archetypal display by members of Cosmos. One senior New York Region official expressed, "I wish all the cricket cubs could take a page from Cosmos’ book, but then this is Cosmos a cut above the rest." It was a starry and, by any measure, a classically successful evening. By the time Shafeek Ali delivered the vote of thanks, symbolic of the opening of the dance floor, the mission of the evening had been accomplished. The events of the evening ultimately seemed less about the achievements of Cosmos in its illustrious 25 years of history and more about the Club saying thanks and acknowledging those that were instrumental in ensuring that Club was not only viable but also wonderfully accomplished.

And so, the celebrants forged forward with reckless abandon, severing any potential hindrance to their wheels of progress, dancing away to the rhythm of Indian and Caribbean music into the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Cosmos has always been a gracious organization to anyone who has stepped onto their platform. Cosmos will continue to play cricket as they always have, in the spirit in which the game is meant to be played, and as several of their members asserted on this night --, they endeavor never to compromise on the finer qualities of sportsmanship. On this day, Cosmos was all class, leading the way and setting the standard.