Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Tri-City of Albany
Saturday 29 May 2010

Pirates of the St Lawrence suffered the second heaviest defeat in their history in a bruising border raid best forgotten on Saturday. After topping the Whackers only a week ago, the Pirates sunk to a 123-run loss versus Tri-City of Albany.

The early signs were encouraging as the wagons steered south through the familiar terrain of the Adirondacks. Three weeks earlier, Cap’n Bell and Ship Surgeon Savage, returning from front-line duty in Philadelphia, stopped at Betty Beaver’s Gas Station at 11 pm here. They asked the startled attendent if she liked cricket. ‘Yes,’ came the answer. Bell and Savage believed they were the first people ever to enter Betty Beaver’s Gas Station in whites and ask this.

This time, as Messrs Wisden, Legault and Bell pulled into another petrol station in the Adirondacks, Bell knew his task. ‘Do you like cricket? he asked the cashier. ‘Yes,’ he replied, producing a bat from behind his desk. ‘We play in the forecourt.’

The Pirates, minus the Sukhdeo triplets who were missing in action, on which side of the border no one knew, duly arrived at the old refuse tip ground in Schenectady, where it was snowing poplar cotton. They were joined by Ram Rampersaud. For the 45-year-old Guyanese super-sub from Dartmouth, travel is no issue. He would gladly drive to Vancouver for a match.

Tri-City won the toss and elected to bat. As Tom Wisden’s first over sailed into the neighbouring houses and forest for 15, the Pirates bought time searching for the ball.

Matt Legault caused the run-rate to plummet, conceding only 10 from the second over.

Tri-City casually brought up their 50 in the 6th over, but not before Wisden removed the junior Persaud for 6. With him went the last of the edges and raps on the pad.

Momentarily cheered with the arrival of the Sukhdeos, it was downhill thereafter for the Canadians. Tri-City launched a silly assault, whacking 98 for the next wicket.

Patch Middleton produced a freakish one-handed return catch to dismiss Mike Persaud for 50. It brought former first-class cricketer Mohammed Khair to the crease, joining opener Vishnu, who also used to open the batting professionally with Ravi Shastri.

Erfan Chowdhury ducked for cover as balls peppered him on the midwicket fence, some ricoheting off the trees back at him.

Vishnu brought up his century, and Khair his 50, in a hundred-run partnership that put the fear of living gawd into the Pirates. Mercifully, Vishnu retired on 122, but then Khair went berserk.

The only cheer for the visitors was watching Wisden keep Khair at bay in the final 3 overs as he searched in vain for his century. In all his first-class career, Khair had never faced anything that didn’t register on the speed gun. He swished helplessly and had to settle for 85 not out.

Chasing 311 in 35 overs is never an easy task, especially with the opposition bending the new ball like a banana. Raja Sukhdeo and Sundar Krishnan counter-attacked until the former was bowled for 6.

Krishnan, once described by Sunil Gavaskar as ‘The Little Master’, produced a gem of an innings, mixing solid defense with savage pulls and drives. Together with the hard-hitting Ram Rampersaud, he carried the score past 50 in the 12th over.

Looking to accelarate the score somewhere close to the required 11.5 an over for victory, Rampersaud fell selflessly, caught cooly by Steve Wiesse off a top edge at extra cover.

Bell came and went, gunned out for the second week in succession to a phantom edge behind.

Hari Sukhdeo, wielding his railway sleeper, smashed 46 in approximately 8 balls before he, too, fell to a top edge.

Matt Legault, on the field as a runner for the brave Krishnan, took his guard and recorded his first runs for the Pirates, swiping handsomely to the midwicket fence. Both he and Bhajooram Sukhdeo, after some fireworks, holed out to that-man-Khair again.

Krishnan, hobbling after chopping the ball into his leg, continued to flay the ball square of the wicket until, fatigued on 40, the death clunk sounded.

Middleton and Chowdhury hussled between the wickets, taking the Pirates closer. Chowdhury was given out lbw on 0, and then recalled in sympathy, only to make Tri-City pay.

The wide rate went through the roof, momentarily giving the Pirates hope of achieving the required 152 in the final 5 overs. But it was not to be as they fell 124 short, after a bonus 36th over from one of the spectator kids.

Driving back after the match, once again Legault, Wisden and Bell stopped for petrol in the Adirondacks. Before alighting the car, Bell said, ‘I have to ask.’ He marched straight to the cashier and demanded, ‘Do you like cricket?’ ‘Yes, I love it,’ came the answer. ‘…You know, a New Zealand gentleman and an Australian asked me the same thing.’

Pirates of the St Lawrence versus Tri-City of Albany
Saturday 29 May 2010
Schenectady, New York, USA
Match type: 35 overs per side
Toss won by: Tri-City
Weather conditions: Smokin’ hot ‘n’ snowin’ poplar cotton
Result: Tri-City won by 123 runs

Tri-City Innings

Kiran Vishnu retired 122 (17×4, 5×6)
Richie Persaud (wk) b Wisden 6
Mike Persaud c&b Middleton 50 (4×4, 2×6)
Mohammed Khair not out 85 (6×4, 6×6)
Ray Cecil c&b Wisden 9 (1×4)
John Persaud b Gobind 5
Matt Persaud not out 6
Sham Persaud DNB
Sunni Chowdury DNB
Steve Weisse DNB
Navin Persaud DNB

Extras 28 (Byes 0, Leg Byes 1, No Balls 2, Wides 23)
Total 311 for 5 in 35 overs

FoW (1-50, 2-148, 3-267, 4-299)

Bowling

Tom Wisden 7 overs, 2 wickets, 50 runs
Matthew Legault 5 overs, 0 wickets, 50 runs
Hari Sukhdeo 4 overs, 0 wickets, 15 runs
Erfan Chowdhury 4 overs, 0 wickets, 42 runs
Bhajooram Sukhdeo 4 overs, 0 wickets, 29 runs
Raja Sukhdeo 3 overs, 0 wickets, 23 runs
Roy Middleton 3 overs, 1 wicket, 22 runs
Angus Bell 3 overs, 0 wickets, 32 runs
Ram Rampersaud 1 over, 0 wickets, 22 runs
Avo Gobind 1 over, 1 wicket, 6 runs

Pirates of the St Lawrence Innings

Raja Sukhdeo b Mike Persaud 6
Sundar Krishnan ct Kiran b Cecil 40 (5×4)
Ram Rampersaud (wk) ct Weisse b Khair 14 (1×4)
Angus Bell (c) ct R Persaud b Matt Persaud 2
Hari Sukhdeo c&b John Persaud 46 (4×4, 3×6)
Matthew Legault ct Khair b John Persaud 5 (1×4)
Bhajooram Sukhdeo ct Khair b John Persaud 14 (2×4)
Roy Middleton not out 16 (1×4)
Erfan Chowdhury ct Kiran b R Persaud 12 (2×4)
Avo Gobind not out 1
Tom Wisden DNB

Extras 32 (Byes 3, Leg Byes 2, No Balls 4, Wides 22)
Total 188 for 8 in 36 overs

FoW (1-15, 2-51, 3-64, 4-116, 5-129, 6-149, 7-153, 8-175)

Bowling

Sunni Chowdury 4 overs, 0 wickets, 20 runs
Mike Persaud 4 overs, 1 wicket, 14 runs
Matt Persaud 5 overs, 1 wicket, 40 runs
Mohammed Khair 4 overs, 1 wicket, 16 runs
John Persaud 7 overs, 3 wickets, 36 runs
Ray Cecil 6 overs, 1 wicket, 23 runs
Navin Persaud 2 overs, 0 wickets, 6 runs
Richie Persaud 3 overs, 1 wicket, 17 runs
Josh Persaud 1 over, 0 wickets, 11 runs