CAMBRIDGE CRUSHES FATIMA ON DEBUT

There are precious few College rivalries as storied as that of St. Mary’s and Fatima. Both schools are rooted in tradition and history, with legendary past pupils from either side engaging in epic battles over multiple sporting disciplines through the years. As their teams prepared to face off on the opening day of the 2020 PowerGen SSCL Premiership season, it was never going to be just about the cricket. For the respective supporters present, emotions were running deep and the tension in the air was palpable.

St. Mary’s captain Leon Basanoo won the toss and gave hosts Fatima first strike. His pace quartet had combined to take 41 wickets between them as the “Saints” swept all before them on their way to winning the North Championship division last year. Now they would be unleashed upon a Fatima team that had been carrying the mantle of the North Zone in the Premiership Division by themselves for quite some time. The duo of left-arm swing king Andre Seetaram and right-arm quick Kieron John struck early and often. The experienced and much-vaunted Fatima batting line up crumbled to 14 – 4 by the end of the 8^th over, with both bowlers scalping two wickets apiece. Opener Nicholas Elliott, dropped off John on 3, would combine with Aidan Samaroo to put on 30 runs over the next 5 overs as the opening bowlers began to tire. Sensing the need for change, skipper Basanoo tossed the ball to Abdullah Cambridge for the 14^th over. The young left-arm orthodox bowler was making his debut for St. Mary’s. Still only in Form 3, Cambridge would have been excused if nerves and the occasion got the better of him. Instead, he proceeded to write his name into the history books.

His 1^st over, bowled to Elliott, started with 4 dot balls, and then lightning struck not once but twice. Elliott’s patience finally gave in and he was out stumped. Partnership broken. With the very next delivery, Cambridge bowled new batsman Tristan Tom Yew. In his debut match, for his first over ever, Cambridge had not only conjured up a double-wicket maiden but was also facing the possibility of a true rarity – a hattrick spanning two overs. Say what you will about the oft-maligned “cricketing gods”, but on this day they had scripted the stuff dreams are made of for a young boy starting his career. A well-set Aidan Samaroo would deny Cambridge his hattrick, but the young debutant got his revenge by dismissing Samaroo in his 5^th over. He would then dismiss Antonio Lochan and Devin Downie with the 1^st and 5^th balls of his 7^th over to finish with figures of 6.5 overs, 1 maiden, 5 – 22. Apart from his wickets, Cambridge showed excellent control and discipline, conceding just 2 boundaries and a solitary no-ball in almost 7 overs, condemning Fatima to a paltry 97 all out.

St. Mary’s would duly chase down their target to complete a famous victory. On this day, the Fatima boys would not strive on. It would be the “Saints” who would go triumphantly marching home, with their new hero marching into school folklore and a deserved place as the North Zone Star of the Week.