In the last few weeks there have been a couple of photos in some of the Greater Toronto Area’s South Asian newspapers of the opening of Batsman Park, Brampton. Opening bat Ryan Ramdass hit 200 last Sunday for Classics Cricket Club in a Brampton-Etobicoke District League Division 1 game against Brampton Battalions. On Saturday, Ryan Ramdass had made 51 for Islanders in a Toronto and District Elite Division win against Caribbean Limers, for whom Austin Codrington hit 82.
Ryan Ramdass is Guyanese and made one test appearance for the West Indies in 2005 as well as appearing in one ODI. Both his international appearances were against Sri Lanka.
The one test he played in had a certain imbalance thanks to a knock of 157 not out in the Sri Lankan second innings by Kumar Sangakkara. Sangakkara’s individual 157 was more than Sri Lanka made as a team in the first innings, and was more than the West Indies made in either of two all out innings in the test. Ramdass had innings of 23 and 3 in this match. Sri Lanka second innings closed with a declaration at 375 for seven.
Classics was all out for 388 after 48 overs, according to the scorecard on the Brampton-Etobicoke league website. Rodrigo Thomas, Ramdass’ opening batting partner, made 82. Ramdass was bowled when on 200 by Moghees Mia, who took three for 74. Brampton Battalions replied with 155 all out in 42.3 overs.
During a brief visit to the Toronto Cricket Club last Saturday, I saw Ruvindu Gunasekera’s innings come to an end, stumped for 28 off spinner Sami Faridi. Toronto had lost two earlier wickets against Mississauga as the teams met for the second time within seven days. Shaheed Keshvani made 65 for Toronto, who tallied 177 all out in 43 overs. The Ramblers opening batsmen had an opening stand of exactly 100 and the Ramblers went on to reach a wining 179 for four from 44 overs. Opening bat Saad Nazar made 55 and partner Salman Bin Nazar contributed 48.
In a match played on the previous Sunday at Mississauga’s Iceland Oval, the Ramblers (174 all out) had squeezed home by two runs thanks to Rajesh Veetil capturing five Toronto wickets for just 15 runs. Toronto ended on 172 all out and lost, despite the seemingly fine bowling efforts from Riyyazkhan Pathan, who took five for 24, and Henry Osinde, who captured four for 21.
I stumbled across news of Ryan Ramdass’ batting efforts last weekend in the current edition of “The Caribbean Times International” (Issue 55), which has just passed one year of publication in the Greater Toronto Area.
　
Eddie Norfolk