Newcomers High School captured 2009 PSAL banner and are crowned champions again!
It was at the second field in Brooklyn dedicated only to cricket, only the second match played on the field, and the second 20/20 game last Sunday to end in a close and thrilling finish (after India lost to England) and, in its second year, it was the finals of the New York City Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) Cricket.
New York City is fast setting the tone for school cricket with the first High School League finishing its second season, and at a brand new cricket ground opened just the day before at Canarsie Park in Brooklyn, New York.
For the second year the two finalists were Newcomers High School and John Adams High School. The names of the schools by themselves telling a story of American cricket - Newcomers High School is a school focusing on recent immigrants, many of whom are bringing their love for cricket to the US, whilst John Adams High School carries the name of one of our Founding Fathers, and 2nd President, who like many early Americans played cricket and even discussed it in the context of the constitution.
The weather was beautiful, rain was predicted but never really threatened. A cool breeze and 70 degree farenheit temperature made it ideal for cricket. The outfield was slow as rain had made the newly laid turf a bit thick. The newness of the turf meant it could not be cut, so the batsmen knew runs would be hard to come by along the ground.
It was good tactics then for the John Adams' High School captain and graduating senior Thakur Singh to send in Newcomers to bat when he won the toss. However, Newcomers High School, as their captain Robin Das said, "We won every time we batted first."
To the surprise of many, Newcomers High School was soon in trouble, a mix-up between the openers, Nurus Salam and Rayhan Ahmed left the latter without a home, as he was run out. Nicholas Ramrattan (3 overs, 4 runs, 1 W), Troy Mars (3 overs, 9 runs, 1 W ) and Sharma Sukdeo (3 overs, 11 runs, 1 W) then bowled tight and effective spells, to leave Newcomers High School teetering.
Mars took the all important wicket of Newcomers' skipper Robin Das, the 2009 highest aggregate run-getter, including a knock of 126 against Thomas Edison High School. In 2008 Das had also scored a century. Nurus Salaam (22) and Grazi Rahman (14) couldn't stop what appeared to be a debacle as Newcomers High School struggled to get to 50 whilst losing 7 wickets. However the fall of the 7th wicket brought Mahbubul Chowdury to the wicket to join Mohamad Swappan.
Choudury strode to the wicket with the air of a man who knew what to do, and immediately took charge. A huge off-drive for 6 brought the Newcomers High School bench to their feet, then Chowdury, supremely confident, ignored the man deep on the long-off boundary and went for the same shot, getting 6 more. Another hit to the fence, a four this time, followed. Swappan now saw he had a partner and laid into the bowling as well, pulling two sixes over midwicket. The two took the Newcomers High School total to a defendable 111 off their 20 overs. It wasn't that John Adams High School let them off the hook, it was the onslaught of Mahbubul Chowdury that saved Newcomers High School from the brink of a total collapse.
Captain Thakur Singh was still at the crease but the John Adams High School batsmen couldn't find the boundary and the team was reeling. The new batsman Troy Mars then gave his team hope, driving over midwicket for 6. Another 6 and a 4 soon followed, bringing the enthusiastic and supportive crowd on hand, to their feet. The slow outfield was not giving up boundaries along the ground but Mars brought his team back into the game, whilst his captain held down the other end. It began to look as though Newcomers High School, after dropping Mars, would pay dearly. But then Das repaid Mars for taking his wicket, by clean bowling the ebullient batsman.
Thakur Singh then tried to take over the big-hitting role, but went down the wicket and was stumped. The remaining batsmen, struggling to find the boundary, played intelligent cricket by taking the singles, and hurried 2's. Excellent fielding by Newcomers High School made this dangerous though, and 2 run-outs made it a really close game. Captain Das, shrewdly had left himself to bowl the final over, and with John Adams High School needing 11 to win Das bowled well and ensured Newcomers High School won by 5 runs.
Presenting the awards were key figures in the PSAL, Donald Douglas (Director), Lorna Austin (Coordinator) and Bassett Thompson (Commissioner ), all of whom are helping New York City pioneer school cricket in the US. Also present were Assistant Commissioner Ricky Kissoon, United States Cricket Association (USACA) Executive Secretary John Aaron, and Lloyd Jodah, President of American College Cricket. Secretary Aaron was loud in his praise for the work being done by the PSAL for High School cricket, American College Cricket's Lloyd Jodah was so moved by the PSAL's cricket efforts and hard work that he offered a Student Membership to New York Sports Club (the Northeast's top health club), to the Match MVP Mahbubul Chowdury,
Lloyd Jodah contributed to this article.
Photo credits: Budding photographer 12-year old Matthew Patel.
