Defending Eastern American Cricket Association Twenty20 champions, Richmond Hill Liberty Cricket Club, has put up an unbeaten run in the competition’s league stage to enter the playoff. The Trinson Carmichael led club recorded wins over Gladiators CC, Falcons CC, Big Apple CC, Victory CC and Everest/ACS leading up to this Sunday’s semi-final.
Following a walk-over win against Gladiators CC, Carmichael led a resounding 77 runs win over Falcons CC. #TheBlueNation skipper blasted 74 runs off 39 balls which included six fours and five sixes. This after RHLCC won the toss and elected to bat first. Dominique Rikhi’s 42 helped the boys in blue to 191. Carmichael followed with 3 wicket for 10 runs when his side bowled out FCC for 114 runs. Trevor Henry and Wahid Ward chipped in with two wickets in that win.
The following week all-rounder Inzy Khan was the top performer when RHLCC defeated Big Apple CC by 44 runs. Khan hit his maiden RHLCC half-century and along with Chris VanTull’s 47 and Rikhi’s 37 their side posted 188 for 6. Khan returned with the ball to pick two wickets for 18 runs when BACC was restricted to 144 all out. Fourteen year old brother of Inzy, Moien Khan, bowled a crucial 4-over spell, picking up 2 wickets for 21 runs in the win.
In a double header encounter this past Sunday, RHLCC scored two comprehensive victories to cap off their unbeaten run. Altaaf Habibulla picked up 3 wickets for 23 runs when RHLCC kept Victory CC to 166 for 8 after losing the toss. Moien Khan once again scalped 2 wickets to help his team. In reply, Carmichael 36, Henry 35 and Rikhi 28 were among the runs to set up a tight chase. It was Inzi Khan once again with an unbeaten knock of 25 to see home the victory with 4 wickets and 5 balls to spare.
The second match of the double header saw RHLCC take on Everest/ACS. This was the first time the 2017 EACA 40-Overs finalists were matched up since E/ACS won the final. Nadesh Basdeo, Inzy Khan, Habibulla and Carmichael shared 2 wickets each before E/ACS posted 144 all out. Wasim Haslim scored 69 for E/ACS. An emphatic response from the RHLCC openers, Rikhi and Ward, saw the duo making light work of the chase. Ward’s 74 off 34 balls (4×4 and 7×6) and Rikhi’s 63 off 31 balls (9×4 and 3×6) punished every E/ACS bowlers to bring home the chase in just 10.5 overs.
Dominique Rikhi’s consistent performance over the T20 series so far has him at the top of the runs tally for RHLCC. Inzy Khan is currently unbeaten all series and has stepped up wonderfully for RHLCC. Carmichael, Habibulla and Moien Khan are the leading bowlers heading in to the playoffs.
Sunday’s semi-final stages a clash of Big Apple CC against RHLCC. The two teams clashed in the 40-Over final which played out as a low scoring thriller with RHLCC hanging on for a victory. The two teams will go again at 10:30 AM with the winner moving on to the final the following week.
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