DAVIS DERAILS PRESENTATION’S VICTORY BID

Fatima College went into their round 3 match of the PowerGen SSCL Premiership Division on the back of 2 straight defeats. They would now host Presentation College San Fernando, who were a very experienced unit and full of confidence despite being a promoted team since they had played unbeaten throughout the entire Championship Division in 2019 eventually winning the National title. Both camps were in vastly contrasting moods on the morning of February 4^th as the game got underway.

The home team took first strike and for 17 overs things looked promising. The opening partnership got to 61 before the wheels began coming off the Fatima wagon. By the time the score got to 120 five wickets had fallen and the Presentation battery of spinners proceeded to so effectively stifle the Fatima scoring rate that by the end of their innings Fatima had limped to 175-7 which was well below what they had hoped for. Their bowling unit would need to produce something special to save them from a 3^rd consecutive defeat.

Presentation’s run chase began disastrously for them with Jesse Butts uprooting Venish Narine’s stumps off the 2^nd ball of the innings. Despite this early setback new batsman Shem Ascevero quickly found his rhythm and shots, guiding his team to 79-3 by the end of the 20^th over. Fatima skipper Cruickshank, looking for some bit of magic, turned to his diminutive spinner Joshua Davis. The well-set Ascevero and his aggressive partner Sanjay Jawahir quickly tried to unsettle the young man by looking to attack every ball. They would soon realize that the Davis men are not so easily shaken.

After conceding 8 runs in that 21^st over, Joshua set about showing the “Sando” boys exactly what he was made of. The surname Davis has a long and storied history in the annals of North Zone cricket and beyond. Joshua’s grandfather Bryan and great-uncle Charlie both represented St. Mary’s College and then progressed to the Trinidad and West Indies teams. His father Gregory and uncle Barry both played for Fatima and Trinidad and Tobago. Now, the Davis dynasty was his to carry on for a 3^rd generation and he would rise wonderfully to the task. His next 9 overs would cost a mere 12 runs and after that initial over he did not give up a single boundary. He would rub even more salt into the Pres wounds by taking wickets in his 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 9^th overs to finish with the excellent return of 10 overs 2 maidens 4-20 bowling his entire spell on the trot. Included among his wickets were both Ascevero and Jawahir who were their team’s top scorers on the day. By the time his work was done Pres were reeling at 130-8 and were eventually dismissed for 159 giving Fatima a narrow but satisfying victory.

As impressive a performance as this was by a young 15-year old, it was by no means a shock to anyone who knew of Joshua’s blossoming career. He had been selected on the North Zone U-13 team whilst still at primary school and in 2019 was a member of the National U-15 team that captured the Regional U-15 title. At that tournament Joshua was the leading wicket taker and also scored his maiden half century in National colors. While the team took home the trophy, young Davis took home the individual award for best bowler. Ironically enough, two of his former National teammates were on the Presentation team and he had the pleasure of counting one of them among his wickets. 

With such achievements already on his resume and an abundance of talent, determination, and toughness on display, it seems that the Davis cricketing dynasty is well and truly in excellent hands. The SSCL North Zone proudly congratulates Joshua Davis on earning his spot as the Star of the Week.