MONDAY, May 22 proved to be a historic day in the 32-
year history of the Scarborough Cricket Association
(SCA) and it all happened at the Ashtonbee Number
Three ground in brilliant sunshine.
In what was surely one, if not, the most devastating innings in
the SCA, Afghanistan-born international player Munir Ahmad
Kakar, gracing the league for the first time, tore the Invaders
B attack to threads with a pulsating unbeaten 289, leading
Northumberland County Cricket Club to a massive 369-run
win in their Third Division 40-over fixture.
Winning the toss and opting to take first strike,
Northumberland County CC piled up an imposing 408 for
two in 38 overs and with the addition of 22 penalty runs after
failing to bowl their allotted 40, reached 430.
Kakar, who shared a record-breaking opening stand of 364
with Niamatullah Azizullah, who contributed a solid 90,
plundered an incredible 33 sixes and seven fours off a mere
126 balls, while his partner, who was at time a spectator,
slammed four fours and seven sixes.
A shell-shocked Invaders B, who were obviously stunned,
surrendered meekly for 60 in 20.5 overs with left-arm medium
pacer Yayha Khan claiming three for 20 while there were two
wickets each for Samiullah Rafiq and Aarnish Sharma.
Kakar’s feat also broke the previous highest individual score
of 268 registered by former Guyana Under-19 batsman
Harienarine Chattergoon against Durham Cricket Club in the
2014 Premier League while representing Hawaiian Arctic.
The day had earlier started with Prime Cricket Club’s Yousuf
Habeeb mesmerising Kokuvil Sports Club at the same venue
in their T30 Premier League encounter. In a remarkable
exhibition of swing bowling, Habeeb captured eight wickets
for five runs off 4.3 overs as Kokuvil were blasted out for 43
in 14.3 overs in reply to Prime CC’s 249 for six in 29 of their
allotted 30 overs.
Prime CC were led to their challenging total through a fine
115 off 80 balls from Fawad Raja, whose knock was laced
with four fours and 12 huge sixes.
Meanwhile, 2022 Elite champions Naseeb Cricket Club
started their title defence in emphatic fashion with a crushing
eight-wicket victory over Ajax Cricket Club A in their opening round
fixture, played at the Ellesmere South ground.
Ajax Cricket Club, who won the toss and chose to bat, were skittled out
for a paltry 54 in 19.4 overs with Varish Shaikh bagging five for 26 in his
allotted 10 overs. Muhammd Masqood Bala supported with three for six
while Muhafiz Patel took two for 22. Naseeb CC rushed to 55 for two in
10.5 overs.
Naseeb CC second round game versus debutants Kaieteur International
A, set for the L’Amoreux ground, was however abandoned because of the
inclement weather.