AFTER a somewhat indifferent start to the
2022 season, which also
saw them suffering an embarrassing
defeat to Ajax Cricket Club, defending
Scarborough Cricket Association
(SCA) Elite champions Ambassadors
Sports Club stormed back to top the
regular season by an air’s breadth after
the completion of their 14-game stint.
A phenomenal eight-game winning
streak allowed Ambassadors to tally
100 points, the same as newcomers
Caribbean Stars with the former
prevailing with a superior net run rate
– 1.4144, compared to 1.4008.
The third and fourth spots also saw a tight race with both Victoria Park
Cricket Club (VPCC) and Naseeb Cricket Club deadlocked on 90 points.
However, VPCC got the nod for the third position with a net run rate of
1.1854 while Naseeb finished with 0.9643.
With the playoffs semi-finals set, Ambassadors were scheduled to clash with
Naseeb while VPCC were down to oppose Caribbean Stars.
Having been prized out for a paltry 65 by Ajax Cricket Club on
June 5, which saw Ajax winning by eight wickets, seemed to
have energised Ambassadors who then went on an eight-game
winning streak.
The streak also saw them returning the favour to their opponents
(Ajax), who were shut out for 46 in 16.1 overs in their own
backyard with Ambassadors skipper Amerish Deoraj finishing with
the outstanding figures of six for 20. Ambassadors raced to victory in six
overs, losing one wicket in the process.
Along the way, there were centuries for Durand Soraine, who blasted an
undefeated 171 versus Caribbean Stars, Malaysian Azad Amidon, who hit a fine
114 in the final game versus Starz and Kavian Naress, who in his lone game of the
season, defied the VPCC attack to register an even hundred.
Meanwhile, VPCC’s Siddarth Patel tore the Ajax Cricket Club’s attack to threads
on the final day of the regular season clash, played at the Ashtonbee Number
One ground. Patel blasted an incredible undefeated 263, laced with 20 fours and
22 sixes, easily the highest score of the season, as VPCC reached 392 for four in
40 overs in their rain-affected encounter.
Ajax, in reply, were dismissed for 171, losing by the wide margin of 221. Patel’s
knock was however five short of Hawaiian Arctic’s Harrienarine Chattergoon
whose belligerent 268 against Durham United in 2014, still stands as the highest
individual score. It should however be noted that Chattergoon’s innings came in
the Premier Division, prior to the introduction of the Elite Division in 2017.
Kaieteur International Sports Club
A topped Group A of the Premier
Division with 120 points, 15 clear
of Palace Panthers/Scarborough
Legends with Champions placing third
with 75. In Group B, Highland Creek
led with 100 points with Toronto
Rhinos occupying the second position
on 90 and Toronto Invaders third
on 70. The two top teams in each
category advanced to the playoff
semi-finals while other four featured
in quarterfinals.
The First Division (Group A) saw
Team Tigers A coming out on top with
110 points, Bawa XI placing second
on 100 and Kaieteur B a distant third
on 50.
Maple CC ended at the helm in Group
B with a whopping 120 points with
United Titans second on 110 and
Knightly third on 80. As in the Premier
Division, the two top teams advanced
to the semis while the other four were
scheduled to play quarterfinals.
With eight teams contesting the
Second Division, the top four –
Armor (120 points), United CC (90),
Oshawa/Hawks/Toronto Braves
(80) and Ambassadors B (80) were
the semi-finalists.
The four teams qualifying for the
Third Division semi-finals were TPark
Youngstars (120 points), Victoria Park
B (110), Stikbook (80) and Pickering
Panthers (70).
The playoffs, which started on September 24, also
featured the T20 Elite, Premier and First, T30 Elite and
Over-50 categories. The finals were scheduled to be
played the following weekend.