Brooklyn’s FDR High School wins NYC PSAL Cricket Championship ! Undefeated !

At the beginning of the 2011 New York City PSAL (Public High School ) Cricket League season Abrar Zafrar scored a century, and at the end of the season he played the key role for his team !
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Coach Gregory Fisher of Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School cautioned his cricket team,” Do what we’ve been doing all season. Don’t change anything. It’s you and the ball.”
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As the FDR players rubbed sunscreen, one player put marked his cheek like the “Tiger” as another exclaimed,”Chanderpaul ! ”

The singing of the Star Spangled Banner was followed by by the coin toss which LIC won, and chose to field first. The venue was Baisley Pond Park South, recently opened by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. However unfortunately the grass was not cut well enough.

The lack of pre game practice showed itself in a very errant first over which contained 7 wides from Ahmed Tufaye who had a runup long enough to make Usain Bolt tired.Muntaser Rana from the other end showed his cricket smarts by coming off a short run, and going for line and length. (Bowlers should have a pre game bowl for line & length).

In his 2nd over a short one from Rana was hit over midwicket for 4 but stayed focused and struck back and LIC was 24 for 1 after 4 overs.Jazeb and Zahib Tariq, brothers moved the score along with moving with shot the and going for quick singles,whilst Jazeb hooked for 4 to backward square.

In 20 over game however, one over can change the complexion of a game and a tight over made Jazeb force some shots, and he was bowled looking to launch a rocket. Abrar Zafrar strode to the middle, fished outside off to the wicketkeeper and Rana celebrated his 2nd wicket. Anto Das didn’t stck around and after 10 overs FDR High was 49 for 3.

The wicketkeeper took his 2nd catch, and it was 57 for 4. LIC tightened the scews with a maiden over, before Zain Ali decided to take it to the bowler driving one over the bowler for 4. A powerful pull looked like 4 but Attaur Khan took a magnificent catch full on . Only Zahib Tariq stood between LIC High taking FDR down for a low score, and when he went the team struggled to get to 100 runs in the lat over.

Coach Gehlaut of LIC High said at the break,” We have no pressure, we’ve already clinched 2nd place, now all we have to do is try to win first place. The other team is strong, but the pressure is on them because they haven’t lost all season.”

American College Cricket President Lloyd Jodah, John Aaron, Secretary of USA Cricket and Eastern American CA President Rudy Persaud were present, and Councilman Ruben Diaz came to honor PSAL Commissioner and the PSAL.

Captain Jazeb Tariq of FDR opened the bowling,with a smooth runup and fiery pace, beating the batsman with speed. At the other end Abrar Zafar kept it tight too, flighting well.Eventually the LIC batsmen decided to go go after the bowling to break the stranglehold, and Abbas dropped a lofted drive at deep midwicket. Khan went back to almost the same spot for 4, probably leaving Abbas saying to himself, “Today is not my day “.

At 20 without loss in 5 overs Khan stepped down and was stumped. Mustafa followed, also stumped, and after 7 overs LIC was 26 for 2, chasing 101. Mohammed Islam didn’t trouble the scorers, going for a duck, and LIC was 26 for 3. At the other end Anto Das was keeping it tight.

Zahib took a magnificent catch off a powerful drive, at cover. Three more quick wickets and LIC High was reeling at 61 for 7.

Davinderpa Singh was still there though and not about to give up,, as he smashed a 6 over point, and a 6 over midwicket. But when Singh got out for 23, it seemed all over for LIC at 77 for 8.

However LIC got 9 runs off the 18 th over, and 12 runs were need in 12 balls !

Speedster Jazeb came back into the attack for the 19 th over,bowled well and only gave away 4 runs – 8 runs need, 6 balls to go,2 wickets !

Singles and a run out made it 3 runs in 2 balls, with 1 wicket ! A nervous Abrar Zafar then couldn’t bring himself to deliver the final ball and the Umpire had to call “dead ball” 3 times !

Afterwards Zafar said, “I kept thinking, suppose I mad my team lose ?”
Eventually Zafar bowled, and the LIC batsmen got a single ! TIED GAME !

Chief Umpire Steve Kalloo ruled the game would be decided on a Superover ! 3 batsmen, 1 bowler, 6 balls !

LIC batted first, to the bowling of Zafar and managed only 4 runs ! LIC Captain Jazeb Tariq and Abrar Zafar then batted for FDR, and Jazeb got a single. Zafar wasted no time, hitting over cover for 6 !

Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School were the 2011 PSAL Champions – the NYC Public High School Cricket Champions !

Afterwards Coach Gehlaut reminded his LIC boys that they had a lot to be proud of, in a magnificent season.One of their star batsmen, Devendra Singh, a senior would not be with the team next season and it was clear that it was tough getting this close to leaving high school with a Championship.Nevertheless the Coach reassured his team they “feel like you have won today, because of how much you have accomplished.”

An emotional Coach Fisher of FDR High could barely speak after the win as he complimented the team’s effort all season, and accepted the Champions Trophy, “This team did it all season….to win and go undefeated is…beyond words”.

So the 4th season of PSAL (NYC Public High School) cricket came to a Hollywood or Bollywood-like ending, as New York City continues be an example, and set the bar high for youth cricket in the USA, despite the fact that there are some things that need to be addressed, like lack of involvement of parents and the media (except for the NY Daily News).
Couldn’t kids from other schools show up at the Finals ?

America is about people of an incredible range of backgrounds, and NYC Board of Ed just did the natural thing and recognized that fact, and through the Public School Athletic League implemented this program, so that American kids named Khan, Singh, Abbas, Prasad etc can play cricket competitively.

Now we actually can save future generation of kids of “cricket-playing background” from being lost to the game, as they have been lost for generations in America. There will be those who devalue that, in favor of speaking euphemistically about “mainstream Americans” being necessary for the game’s growth.

With more than 400 high school players this year,some of whom will graduate and are already inquiring about playing in American College Cricket,and in the leagues, cricket in America is blossoming with American roots once again, from New York City.

More PHOTOS to be added later. CLICK ON PHOTOS TO SEE WHOLE PHOTO

Photos by Ken Achiron