Posted on 08/24/2006 5:36:35 AM PDT by BaBaStooey
ICC World Cricket League Americas Region Division One, 2006
USA set up Bermuda showdown
ICC Development (Americas) Media Release
August 24, 2006
The United States cruised to a comfortable 7 wicket win over Argentina on the third day of the Americas Championship at Maple Leaf CC in Toronto, Canada, and in doing so set up a potential championship decider with Bermuda on Friday.
Sent in to bat, Argentina started disastrously, losing their first two wickets in the very first over to paceman Imran Awan. It was a continued uphill struggle from then for the Argentine batsmen against a sharp USA attack, and it was only thanks to a gritty 6th wicket partnership of 59 between Donny Forrester and Alejandro Ferguson that steered Argentina towards respectability.
Forrester eventually ended with 43, from 75 balls, with 5 fours, while Ferguson scored a well-deserved half-century, making 57 from 83 balls with 5 fours and a six. Argentina's innings closed on 182 in the 49th over.
For the USA pacemen Iwan, with 3 for 51, and Khawaja Shuja, with 2 for 22, did the initial damage, while spinner Lennox Cush bowled well to end with 2 for 30.
Although a respectable target set by Argentina, it was never going to be enough against a powerful USA top-order, despite a spirited opening burst from the Argentine seamers. With the USA at 64 for 3, and first day centurion Sushil Nadkarni back in the pavilion, there was a sniff of another giant-killing act in the tournament.
But captain Steve Massiah and Lennox Cush had other ideas, and their 120 run undefeated 4th wicket partnership saw the USA home with 22 overs to spare. Massiah continued his fine form with the bat, scoring an undefeated 54 off 59 balls, with 7 fours, while Cush, later named man of the match, scored a blistering 73 not out off only 42 balls, with 8 fours and 5 sixes.
Seamers Gary Savage, 1 for 37 in 8 overs, and Steven Nino, 1 for 34 in 8 overs, bowled well to test the USA top order, but Argentina ultimately did not score anywhere near enough in their innings.
The USA now face unbeaten Bermuda on Friday in a key clash. A Bermudan victory will clinch the title for them for the first time in their history, while a USA victory will keep the championship chase alive into the final day on Saturday.
Tournament Thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1673821/posts
Match 1 (vs. Cayman Islands) recap thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1687939/posts
Shows what I know - I didn't know the USA had a cricket team. Nice work against the Argies.
Before this tournament began, I didn't know Argentina had a cricket team, so I guess that shows what I know!
I played a very recreational game of cricket 2 weeks ago. Actually a fun, enjoyable game.
I tried to find a couple bats to teach my Scouts, but equipment doesn't seem to exist in the US.
By the way who won the Ashes this year???
I bought one from there once.
The Ashes are played every 1.5 years, since England and Australia alternate host duties, and their summers happen at different times of the year.
England won them in 2005, and Australia is set to host them this Winter (Summer for the Aussies, of course).
I believe the first test is in Melbourne and starts on Boxing Day, since that is the traditional date and venue to start the test season.
When I was a lad in Istanbul, my father was a young JG Naval Advisor to the Turkish Naval Academy there. The English and Australian contingents in the city considerably outnumbered the Americans and when they got together every couple of weekends through the summer it was for Cricket. Dad got to be pretty good and I have his old cricket bat with the signatures of all the mates on it from 1954.
I found a fine bat (made in Pakistan) for a good price on eBay.
There are some equipment dealers inside the US who sell equipment, as there are many recreational leagues here and tens of thousands who play the game (and millions who watch).
Put a pawn on the barbie for me.
I dropped by Lillywhites and got most of the teams autographs.
Please include me in your cricket ping list
Fred Lillywhite was a mid-1800s cricket promoter who organized the first England overseas tour...not to Australia, but to Canada and the United States. I'm reading the book he wrote about his experience.
Which team did you get autographs from? England or Australia? If it was Australia, and you got either of the Waughs, McGraths, or Warney's autograph, they've got to be worth a pretty penny.
I looked on Ebay the other day. Stuff was either $150 for the bat or $10.00 for the bat plus $200 in shipping.
Yikes. I found mine cheap, about $30 for the bat and shipping.
McGraph did very well in the Ashes that year.
Ponting is another auto that might be worth some $$$. He's had an amazing year with the bat and is their current captain.
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