Srinath Wijeyeratne reports for Canada Cricket Online:-
Having been satisfied with two successive ‘Rained-Outs’ during the last weekend of May, Toronto went in for a big game against the last year’s T&D play-off ‘Champions’ Brampton Masters, now known as Malton Masters C.C, at Toronto Grounds on 6th June, Saturday.
The game got off to a start on a nice and cool sunny day with Toronto skipper Keshvani winning the toss and electing to bat. In their allotted 50 overs, Toronto made 268 for 07 with new recruit, former Centurion and Canadian National player, Srimantha Wijeyeratne making a fluent 98 with skipper Keshvani (36) and Raza Ul Rehamn (39) contributing to the total. There were two others chipping in, Salman Nazar (23) & Zubin Surkari (25) batting well. Off spinner, Varun Sehdev was the main wicket taker for the Master’s with figures of 4/47 in 9 overs.
Malton-masters chasing a formidable total of 269 to win, reached the target handsomely with losing only 4 wickets and it was made easy for the visitors by Canada’s top batsman Hiral Patel with an unbeaten knock of 111 which included 15X4’s and one solitary hit over the ropes. It all began with their other national player Ruvindu Gunesekera firing all his dangerous ammunition to make 36 in just 12 balls with National skipper Rizwan Cheema hammering the Toronto bowlers all over the park. Masters reached the target in 38.2 overs and sent a signal to other teams that they will be a ‘threat’ to all and will defend the ‘title’ effectively this year.
SCORES: TORONTO C.S.C.C. / 268 FOR 07 IN 50 OVERS. (S.WIJEYERATNE 98, RAZA REHMAN 39, SAHEED KESHVANI 36, ZUBIN SURKARI 25, SALMAN NAZAR 23) V. SHEDEV 04/47
MALTON MASTER’S C.C. / 271 FOR 04 IN 38.2 OVERS. (HIRAL PATEL 111*, RIZWAN CHEEMA 72*, VARUN SEHDEV 38, RUVINDU GUNASEKERA 36) C. PERVEZ 03/73
City News provided some video coverage
The next day, Toronto C.C. drew first blood when they defeated Yorkshire C.C. by 28 runs in a closely contested game played at the same venue. Winning the toss, once again skipper Keshvani, decided to bat first and managed only 156 all out in 42.1 over’s. Only Zubin Surkari made in-roads with a patient 57 with Raza Rehman (25) and Anser Bhavana (21) doing the bulk of scoring. National Player Junaid Siddique was the wrecker for York’s with figures of 05/30
It was a very much getable target for Yorkshire but the home team bowlers came on top to get the batsman bundled out for 128 and register a moral boosting win for the Toronto club in the season 2015. Fast bowler, Cecil Pervez returned with figures of 05 for 62 in 10 overs. Raza Rehman too chipped in with excellent figures of 3 for 18 in 08 over’s.
SCORES: TORONTO C.S.C.C. / 158 ALL OUT IN 42.1 OVERS. (ZUBIN SURKARI 57, ANSER BHAVANA 21) j. SIDDIQUE 05/30
YORKSHIRE C.C. / 128 ALL OUT IN 28.3 OVERS. (ARSLAN KHAN 22, HARJOT SIDHU 22) C. PERVEZ 05/62, R. REHMAN 03/18
This year, the club Toronto C.C. has added new players in to the side with former cricketers from Centurion’s C.C. (club disbanded their Elite team) namely, Former SL U-19 & First class cricketer from Sri-Lanka Dhanuka Pathirana, Srimantha Wijeyeratne, (former SL Under -19 player) and Canadian team Fast bowler Cecil Pervez joining for the season. Also joined with them are the two Nazar brother’s, Saad & Salman (both represented Canada) who had been turning up for Rambler’s C.C. in last season.
Next game for the club will be another double header which will be on the 20-June against Rambler’s C.C. at Iceland Grounds, Mississauga and on the 21-June they play host to Cricket Club of Canada (CCC)
Eddie norfolk adds:-
In other Toronto District Cricket Association games during the weekend Victoria Park was bowled out for 156 (49.4 overs) and lost to Ontario Cricket Academy/Overseas (157/3 after 35 overs) by seven wickets.
Wet conditions won on the opening weekend of the Elite Division. Abandoned games on May 30 included: Vikings 108/4 after 37.2 overs against Victoria Park; Yorkshire was 125/6 against Gujarat (Harvir Baidwan 30, Navneet Dhaliwal 27*); Nikhil Dutta was 59* and Darius D’Souza 43* in OCA/Overseas 139/2 from 31.4 overs against Toronto in another game that started but became a no result.