Crandon inspires Sunshine to victory in Canada

Jul 26, 2023 Sports

Kaieteur Sports – Royston Crandon produced an epic all-round performance for Sunshine against Masters on Sunday at Thackeray Cricket ground in Etobicoke leading his team to a commanding 57-run win in the continuation of the 2023 Ontario Round-Arm Softball Cricket Association (ORSCA) Regular Season T20.

Royston Crandon

Known for his typical pugnacious style, the power-hitting right-hander Crandon clobbered eight nonchalant sixes and four fours to slam a pulsating 84 as Sunshine reached a formidable 172-8 from the 20-overs.

Masters, in reply, only made 115 all out in the 16th over with Crandon proving his all-round capability to snare 3-15 from 3.5 overs.

The 40-year-old Crandon arrived at number 5 with the reigning champion in a spot of bother at 56-3. Undeterred with the fall of early wickets, the former Guyana and West Indies player began to flay the attack to all parts of the Park in sweltering conditions.

He batted with superb confidence and was engaged in a productive 48-run sixth-wicket stand with Ricardo Peters (10) who was forced to play second fiddle. Crandon had capitalised on two chances as well.

Sunshine was asked to take first knock. The decision by their nemesis Masters seemed fully justifiable. Sunshine lost Imran Ali (05), Anil Etwaroo (18) and Fazil Gani (00). However, Jeetendra Beharry offered great resistance with a fine innings of 28 while Crandon came to the fore.

Abdool Samad grabbed 3-25 from four overs while skipper Mark Nazir also sent down their maximum four overs but he conceded 20 runs.

Ali, who has become a versatile all-rounder in the last twenty months, once again displayed dominance with the ball to support Crandon picking up 3-26 in his four overs. Ryan Dhoray and Khemraj Harrinarine added their names to the wicket-column having claimed two wickets apiece as Masters struggled continually.

Samad stroked a top-score of 42 which included five towering sixes and 22 from Ejaz Mohamed. Masters had a dreadful start by losing Azam Haniff for one, Rajkumar Budhram for 11 and then the key wicket of Chien Gittens (03). Another seasoned campaigner Kumar Doothnot also became an early victim making 11.

However, Samad, a player with international experience in representation for Canada, provided brief entertainment along with Mohamed but once they were separate, the innings declined rapidly.

With Azib Alli Hanif coming at number 8, it underlined the strength of the batting but only resisted momentarily.

Meanwhile, the 18-team round-robin competition is set to continue Sunday with a series of matches across the Greater Toronto Area. Details from the other games in a subsequent post.

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Canada, pugnacious, Rajkumar Budhram, Royston Crandon, Thackeray

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