SUPER SACHIN SINKS FATIMA ‘B’

While the 2015 series of articles saw established players being highlighted, the new editions of Memorable Moments will feature performances by players who were just taking their first major steps into school’s cricket at the Secondary level. One such young star shone particularly brightly for East Mucurapo Secondary as he took the junior divisions of the SSCL North Zone by storm. Standing at under 5 feet tall and named, no doubt, after the legendary Indian maestro Tendulkar, 12 year old Form 1 student Sachin Emrit became an instant hero at ‘Compre’ with a string of magnificent displays that inspired his team to their most successful junior season ever.

The first of these came on April 13^th, 2016 on the hallowed grounds of Fatima College. Blessed as always with an abundance of promising youth players, Fatima had two junior teams competing that season and against their ‘B’ unit, Emrit set about making his name known. He called correctly at the toss and opted to take first strike on a hot, windy afternoon, striding confidently out to open the innings for his team with Jareem Thomas. Their partnership was broken in the 4^th over with 26 runs on the board, after which Emrit would put on a further 39 runs together with Cecil Young to take Mucurapo to 65-1 after 6 overs. Fatima skipper Vilain would then bring on Z. Hart as his first bowling change of the innings and it proved to be an inspired move as first Young, then Mucurapo wicketkeeper Jesus Batson were dismissed in the same over to rock the ‘Compre’ line-up.

Sachin began to stamp his authority on the Mucurapo innings at this point and in successive partnerships of 41 and 31 for the 4^th and 5^th wickets, he outscored his partners 2 to 1, contributing 36 runs to the 18 they combined for. In the process, he raised his maiden half-century, getting to the milestone in 82 minutes off 47 balls with 9 boundaries all around the ground. 137-5 quickly became 144-6 and then Malachi Celestine arrived to partner his captain. They would see Mucurapo past the 200 mark, putting on 57 runs in just 4 overs as Emrit upped the tempo of his scoring. Fatima struck two quick blows at his point, getting Celestine run out and dismissing new batsman Williams for no score as end of the 23^rd over saw the Mucurapo total on 206-8 with Emrit himself on 86 and in danger of running out of partners. Two boundaries, driven through the off-side with that classical left-hander’s flair in the 24^th over, took him to 94 and history beckoned as the pint-sized Emrit was poised to become his school’s youngest ever centurion. Alas, it was not to be on this day. Playing off the backfoot to a delivery that kept very low, he was bowled without adding to his score by promising left-arm spinner Devin Downie in the next over. All told, his 94 spanned 123 minutes and 70 deliveries, with 17 gorgeous boundaries.

As he trudged dejectedly off the field, the Fatima supporters, ever classy and appreciative, rose to their feet to applaud a truly special innings. Emrit would not let his disappointment linger, however. He rallied his troops in defence of their total of 240-9 in such an inspired way that their alertness and energy in the field accounted for the first 3 Fatima wickets via the run out route. No batsman would score more than D. George’s 11 as the Mucurapo bowlers took regular wickets to stay on course for the victory. Like their Fatima counterparts earlier, they would struggle in the windy conditions, eventually counting 83 wides to the total as Fatima’s innings ended as it had begun with Hart run out to leave them on 120 and give Mucurapo a 121 run triumph. Sachin Emrit had well and truly announced his arrival onto the SSCL North Zone cricket stage, and he would not look back, delivering more exciting performances as the season wore on.