Suriname put in best display of tournament in going down to Argentina by International Cricket Council

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Scorecard:	Argentina v Suriname
Player:	AK Gokoel, G Gokoel, CR Douglas, G Gokoel, DW Mohabir, HD Barton, P Ferguson, DM Lord, LM Paterlini

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DateLine: 2nd December 2008

 

Only one match was completed, as Argentina proved too strong for an improving and resilient Suriname outfit. Asked to bat first, Suriname posted a more than respectable 190 all out in 49 overs. Top scorer was Charles Douglas with an excellent 53, off 74 balls, with 5 fours and a six, while all-rounder Arun Gokoel batted well for his 30, scored off 62 balls with 3 fours. Both Douglas (22) and Gokoel (19) are bright talents for the future of Surinamese cricket, as is the youngest player in the event, Giovani Gokoel (16), who was Suriname’s best bowler on the day taking 2 for 39 in 10 overs when Argentina batted.

 

For Argentina Diego Lord yet again proved his quality by taking 3 for 26 in 10 overs to round off an outstanding week with the ball. Esteban Nino weighed in with 2 for 41 in 10 overs, while Lucas Paterlini bowled well in taking 2 for 32 in 9 overs.

 

Argentina welcomed back player-coach Hamish Barton back at the top of the order, and together with Pablo Ferguson, their 99 run opening stand settled any nerves Argentina might have had about their run-chase. Barton made 68 in 88 balls with 8 fours, and Ferguson scored 43 off 91 balls with 3 fours. Argentina comfortably reached their target in the 46th over in scoring 191 for 4.

 

Overall an excellent event, filled with plenty of high-quality cricket and many twists and turns that the sport of cricket offers on the field. The venue in Lauderhill and Broward County in Florida was outstanding, and should become an excellent and regular host for cricket events in the future.

 

Steve Massiah, USA captain, was delighted at his teams victory and performance: “I am very honored to have captained one of if not the best USA team that ever walked on a cricket field. We dominated some games, and fought hard for every ball from sometimes difficult situations against supposedly superior opposition in other games. It’s vital now that we strive to continue playing at the highest level. Cricket in the USA is on the up, and there is no doubt that we have the potential to be a world class team and cricketing nation in the future.”

 

Team manager, Imran Khan, was equally overjoyed with the championship title: “The whole process of selecting, training and moulding this team was a huge success, and winning the championship proved that we hit on the right formula. The results are there for all to see. What we have accomplished in a few short weeks is a reflection of the direction USA cricket is taking. Together with coach Clayton Lamber, who did an outstanding job, our goal was to create a solid unit on and off the field, and we did as reflected by our results. This is a great day for USA cricket, and if we keep moving forward positively in a united manner, I’m sure is the first of many more successes to come.”

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2008 International Cricket Council)