IJSCL - Fall 2011 Finals - Mumineen I vs Nur-ul-Islam @ Tamarac Sports Complex

Nur-ul-Islam



Mumineen I



It wasn't a very good morning at Tamarac Sports Complex as the rain fell overnight. The ground was very damp. To make everything even better, it started to rain again. This was a fantastic way to begin the finals...FANTASTIC! There was light rain falling for the most part, then it would stop, then start again. The toss was up and Mumineen I had won it. They made the decision they were planning all week and the obvious decision knowing the playing conditions. Nur-ul-Islam openers, Anil and Alastair were sent in. Nur-ul-Islam was off to a great start. 23 runs were on the board without a wicket in 3 overs. As the first ball of the 4th over came, the first wicket was taken as Anoop bowled Alastair for 5. Vivian was in next and this was the partnership that Mumineen I wanted to break as soon as possible. As the 5th over came around, there was a rain delay and play was called off. As play recalled about 10-15 minutes later, Anil was bowled by Zahid from the 1st delivery after the delay. Vivian was next to go as Imran bowled him down for 8. A few more wickets kept falling as Spike and Nick were taken out. Nur-ul-Islam were at 49/5 at their 10 over break. As the break was finished, the first over back, another wicket fell as Sultan was bowled. The following over, Hazo was also bowled. Nur-ul-Islam, now 54/7 after 12 overs were in big trouble. A partnership was needed for Nur-ul-Islam. Saddiq and Cliff had to do some rebuilding as they put on a 23 run partnership. This partnership was ended by Altab, who soon after cleaned up the rest of this side.

Nur-ul-Islam After 16.3 Overs 81/10

Batting
Anil Bhawani - 22
Sheik Azeerulla - 9

Bowling
Altab Mohamed - 1.3 0 4 3
Zahid Hussain - 4 0 13 3
Imran Sadick - 4 0 11 2

The target for the championship was 82 runs required off 120 deliveries. Openers, Razak and Anoop were sent in.



The Nur-ul-Islam bowlers soon found out it was tough to bowl on a pitch that was soaked. Bowlers couldn't take their full run up and also were having a hard time balancing themselves.



With the last ball of the 1st over, Anoop was bowled by Sultan for duck. Altab was next in, hospital band and all from the night before. Another wicket fell in the 4th over as Razak was bowled by Sultan. The following over, Imran was bowled by Spike from the 1st delivery he faced. Mumineen I were in some trouble as they were 21/3 after 5 overs. Mumineen I began to play a little more cautious as Altab and Zahid slowly moved the scoreboard. In the 10th over, Mumineen I lost a big wicket when Altab was caught at long on. At the 10 over break, Mumineen I slumped 36/4. During the break, Zahid and Aseef needed a plan to try and beat the runs out. As the break was finished, the scoreboard moved along well as 15 runs were added in the next 2 overs. Aseef was caught by Cliff at mid-off. Soon later, Zahid was bowled. Mumineen I lost the momentum they had and were pegged back as they were 56/6. Nazim and Shahaan were in. They were going well until Vivian took a splendid caught and bowl from Shahaan. The pendulum had swung again as Nur-ul-Islam were now on top. It went even more when Adam was bowled in the following over by Saddiq. Mumineen I were now 63/8 after 15 overs. 18 runs were needed from 30 balls, but only 2 wickets were remaining as the tail was exposed for the first time this season. Nazim and Afzal were running well, until a fatal mix-up at the crease caused Afzal to be run-out. Mumineen I were 70/9. Nazim and Loo were the last hope left for Mumineen I to go undefeated and win the championship. Nur-ul-Islam were well on top at this point, knowing that the batting experience of Javed wasn't very good. Nazim, who was playing the ball around well, had to protect Javed by not giving him the strike to face. In the 17th over, Javed had to really face the music and it was the loudest of em' all with the most feared bowler in the league, Spike. He defended and did very well. It was the 18th over now and 10 were required from 18 deliveries. During the over, Javed had put away a bad delivery by Anil for 4 that really lit up the Mumineen I cheering section. As the over finished, Mumineen I were 79/9. 3 runs were now required from 12 deliveries and the noise from the Mumineen I camp couldn't get any louder. In Vivian's final over, there was something that happened that may have insured Mumineen I the win. Nazim was bowled by a delivery that hit the stumps...but the bails never fell...A run was scored from Vivian's final over. With the last over coming up Saddiq was chosen to bowl it after taking 3 wickets already. The first delivery of the over against Nazim was a wide, that sent Mumineen I supporters into a frenzy knowing they tied the match at this point. 1 run was required and the field was in. Nazim played a ball straight and both batsmen scored the final winning run sending Tamarac Sports Complex into a bedlam.

Mumineen I after 19.1 Overs 82/9

Batting
Altab Mohamed - 14
Abdul Razak - 13

Bowling
Saddiq Haniff - 3.1 0 15 3
Sultan Khan - 4 0 19 2

The Mumineen I side charged the field in delight and attacked Nazim and Javed, who had just pulled off the greatest victory that they have ever gotten.






Mumineen I were now the IJSCL 2011 Fall Champions. They were happier than the Brady Bunch as they completed their 2nd season going undefeated. It was their 3rd championship in 5 seasons.







Mumineen I continued to celebrate knowing they were the best team once again and were on top.



The winning captain, Aseef Amin, received a cold shower after the win.



2011 IJSCL Fall Season Runner-Up Captain, Alastair Khan, receiving Nur-ul-Islam's trophy.



2011 IJSCL Fall Season Man of the Match, Javed Lall, receiving his trophy.


2011 IJSCL Fall Season Champions Captain, Aseef Amin, receiving Mumineen I's trophy.





Father and son, Razak and Shahaan sharing the hardware.



Mumineen I Captain, Aseef and Manager, Javed



Winning Captain, Aseef and Man of the Match, Javed Lall.



Bruthas from anutha mutha, Imran and Shahaan



Mumineen I have accomplished their goal this season, bring back home the Championship. We will be back next season, strong and ready to defend what's ours.



"Who are we? CHAMPIONS! What are we? CHAMPS!"



This victory will be in the books for the greatest game played in IJSCL history. Hats off to Nur-ul-Islam for playing a hard fought game all the way until the end.

IJSCL Fall Season 2011 - Semi-Final #1 - Mumineen I vs Alliance @ Margate Middle School

Mumineen I were ready to continue with their undefeated season by taking on Alliance in the Semi-Finals. Mumineen I captain Aseef, won the toss and decided to bowl first. Mumineen I were also missing 2 star players of Razak and Imran. This didn't effect Mumineen I as they charged the field and immediately put Alliance on the ropes by getting Naieem for 3 in the second over. However, Moien and Shamzad were in at the crease and were keeping the runs coming for quite a few overs, but the rate wasn't very fast. Alliance was 32/1 after 7. As the 8th over came into play, Javed was brough into the attack and lightning struck on the first delivery as Moien was bowled. The following over Shamzad was bowled by Zahid and quickly Alliance were in big trouble all over again. 2 of Alliances most dangerous batsmen were in, Arkhan and Masood. Javed struck once again bowling Masood on the final ball of his next over. Alliance were now 41/4 after 10 overs. Alliance were picking up a lot of runs from many byes and wides that were being bowled. Runs were hard to come from the bat as Mumineen I was bowling extremely tight. Alliance fought all the way up to the 20th over until they were bowled out. Mumineen I was happy with the score they had to chase, but wasn't very fond of giving up 27 extras towards the total.

Alliance After 19.3 Overs 93/10

Batting
Moien - 16
Tallim - 16

Bowling
Nazim - 3.3 0 15 3
Javed L. - 4 0 18 3
Anoop - 4 1 10 2

The chase was on for Mumineen I. 94 was needed off 120 balls. Altab and Zahid were sent in to open bat. They found it tough to score runs, but kept a cool head knowing the run rate wasn't flying away. They were 17/0 After 7 overs, with the rate at 5.9 Runs Per Over needed to win. Altab was caught at point, trying to cut a ball away, but putting it in the air and finding the fielder. Anoop was next in and quickly turned the game around by batting positive and aggressive. Mumineen I were at a comfortable 55/1 after 11 overs as Zahid and Anoop kept the scoreboard ticking. During the Mumineen I batting, there were a few stops during the game, as balls were flying from the other semi-final game being played between Nur-ul-Islam and Muttaqeen I. Mumineen I saw through comfortably except for a few miss-hits in the end.

Mumineen I After 18 Overs 94/4

Batting
Anoop - 35
Zahid - 34

Bowling
Arkhan - 4 0 17 2
Naieem - 4 0 26 2

Mumineen I have set themselves up in the finals for the first time since the 2nd season and are ready to finish off undefeated once again. As for the other semi-final, Muttaqeen I suffered the worse loss up to date for them. They scored a healthy score of 159 in their 20 overs against Nur-ul-Islam, being led by a fantastic knock of 92 by Kaiume. The healthy score quickly became sick and died as Nur-ul-Islam ravaged the Muttaqeen I bowling. Nur-ul-Islam put up 160 runs in only 14.4 overs. No wicket fell as Anil and Alastair stood not out. Anil scored a brilliant 119 and Alastair scored 40 as Nur-ul-Islam was up for their first final.

There will be a one week break for the players of the SFSCL to play on their respective teams in that league. Mumineen I will play against Nur-ul-Islam @ Tamarac Sports Complex on December 11th 2011. Game will begin at 9 A.M and be sure to come out to see a very exciting game. Don't worry right after, everyone can go ahead and watch your football games. :)

IJSCL Fall Season 2011 - Mumineen I vs MJAM Arrival @ Tamarac Sports Complex - Game 5

A cloudy morning at Tamarac was the site for the final game of the regular season. Mumineen I went in to bowl first. MJAM Arrival quickly dug themselves in a hole as Aseef and Javed ripped through the top order. After 4 overs, MJAM Arrival were already 12/4. The batting continued to collapse as all Mumineen I bowlers were bowling tight. MJAM Arrival were 36/8 until some decent late hitting from a few players. After 11 players were finally out, MJAM Arrival were literally all out after 17.4 overs.

MJAM Arrival 60/11 After 17.4 Overs

Batting
Fazal Deen - 13
Azan Badrudeen - 11

Bowling
Adam Sattar 2 1 5 2
Javed Lall 2 0 2 2
Aseef Amin 2 0 7 2

With a small target of 61 needed, Mumineen I sent in most of the batsman who haven't faced a delivery for the season. They did very well as they beat out the runs in only 7.5 overs.

Mumineen I 62/2 After 7.5 Overs

Batting
Javed Lall - 17*
Shaheed Lall - 14*

Next week will have the 2 semi-final games as #1 seed, Mumineen I, square off against #4 seed, Alliance. In the other semi-final match, it will feature #2 seed, Muttaqeen I vs #3 seed, Nur-ul-Islam.

We have finished out the season undefeated and went off on a very good note. So far our history of going undefeated throughout a season, have led us to an IJSCL Championship. We have the right balance team to bring that trophy back to Mumineen I. Hopefully we can be crowned 3 time IJSCL Champions in a few weeks.

2011 IJSCL Fall Season Points Table

Mumineen I - 36 Points
Muttaqeen I - 33 Points
Nur-ul-Islam - 30 Points
Alliance - 24 Points
Mumineen II - 21 Points
Muttaqeen II - 15 Points
MJAM Arrival - 6 Points
Unity - 3 Points

IJSCL Fall Season 2011 - Mumineen I vs Muttaqeen I @ Margate Middle School - Game 4

It was a very nice morning for cricket at Margate Middle School. The stage was set for the 2 mammoths of the league. Mumineen I won the toss and decided to bat first. Anoop and Zahid were sent in to open. A decent start at 22 runs after 3 overs without a wicket was corrupted in the 1st ball of the 4th over as Anoop was caught by Kevin. Zahid and Razak was in and kept the runs ticking at a solid rate. Zahid was out in the 7th over as Mumineen I had 45 on the board. Altab was next in and he too bat well with Razak to keep the run rate steady at 93 after 13. Altab got caught out for a solid 28. Mumineen I got into some big trouble with careless shots as Nazim and skipper Aseef were both caught for duck. Adam was in next and put on a critical partnership with Razak to help Mumineen I go for a solid score. Razak continued to pour it on and finished off not out in his terrific innings. Mumineen I scored the exact target they aimed for from the start and was very satisfied.

Mumineen I 150/6 After 20 Overs

Batting
Abdul Razak - 63*
Altab - 28
Zahid - 19

Bowling
Kaiume - 4 0 20 2
Junior - 4 0 29 2

As Muttaqeen I openers came in to bat, Mumineen I knew it wasn't going to be easy to hold down the experienced Muttaqeen I squad, even with 1 man short. Muttaqeen I came out swinging hard early forcing Nazim out of the attack early. Fahron was the first man to go and 4 balls later, Andy was gone caught by Adam at long on. Kaiume was in next and this was the main partnership Mumineen I didn't want to make last long. Both batsmen were looking fine batting until Kaiume was caught behind by Razak. 2 overs later, Kevin was gone and the big 4 was all out with only 61 on the board. Muttaqeen I started to fall like an anchor being dropped from a boat. As 3 quick wickets for no runs dropped. Muttaqeen I in no time, were 66/7 after 10. Junior was in and played a cameo until he was bowled for 22. At the end, Mumineen I had the last laugh and was on top for the victory.

Muttaqeen I 99/9 After 14.4 Overs

Batting
Kevin - 41
Junior - 22

Bowling
Altab - 4 0 36 3
Anoop - 3.4 0 8 2

Mumineen I will face MJAM Arrival in a make-up game for their last game of the season. Mumineen I will need a win/draw/tie to be 1st place and play Alliance in the semi-finals. With a loss, they will be 2nd and will have to play the 3rd place, Nur-ul-Islam.

Points Table After Week 7

Muttaqeen I - 33 Points
Mumineen I - 30 Points
Nur-ul-Islam - 30 Points
Alliance - 24 Points
Mumineen II - 21 Points
Muttaqeen II - 15 Points
MJAM Arrival - 6 Points
Unity - 3 Points

Abandoned!...The end is near...

Yet another game was abandoned for Mumineen I. Tamarac Sports Complex was swamped on Sunday morning and it wasn't possible for any cricket to be played on it. Mumineen I and Mumineen II split the points 3 apiece. There will be no game next week because of the holiday, Eid-ul-Adha.

Points Table After Week 6

Muttaqeen I - 33 Points
Mumineen I - 24 Points
Nur-ul-Islam - 24 Points
Mumineen II - 21 Points
Alliance - 18 Points
Muttaqeen II - 9 Points
MJAM Arrival - 6 Points
Unity - 3 Points

With all teams having 1 game left, other than Mumineen I and MJAM Arrival who has 2 games, it will be an interesting week of games on November 13th. Mumineen II will be playing against Nur-ul-Islam, with Mumineen II needing a win to qualify into the playoffs. Alliance would have to beat MJAM Arrival and need a loss from Mumineen II to make it to the playoffs. Nur-ul-Islam had defeated Alliance in their match, therefore giving them an advantage and clinching the playoffs. The 2 top dogs in the league, Mumineen I and Muttaqeen I will also play each other for the first time, since last seasons semi-final game. Both teams are undefeated and will be looking for a win to crown themselves as first seed.

IJSCL Fall Season 2011 - Mumineen I Vs. Nur-ul-Islam @ Margate Middle School - Game 3

Mumineen I was set to face the biggest challenge yet, Nur-ul-Islam. The toss was one by Nur-ul-Islam and they decided to bat first. Openers Alastair and Spike had a very good partnership going, but it was ended by a miscommunication from the batsmen and Spike was run out for 17. An over later, Alastair was also removed. Nur-ul-Islam had a solid rate going, as they were 76/2 after 7 overs. Some solid bowling from Imran and Zahid pegged back Nur-ul-Islam and kept them at bay. They soon found themselves 81/5 after 10 overs. The run-rate was gradually falling down, but Altaaf, who was set in, started hitting the ball very clean. Mumineen I had held down Nur-ul-Islam to only 142 in their 20 overs, considering the position they were in before.

Nur-ul-Islam 142/9 After 20 overs

Batting
Altaaf Mohamed - 36
Alastair Khan - 25

Bowling
Imran Sadick - 4 0 29 3
Anoop Basdeo - 4 0 24 2

Openers Razak and Anoop were off to a fair start with the chase, but Razak was bowled in the 4th over for 7 as Mumineen I were 19/1. Altab was in next, but for the first time this season, he was out bowled as well. With 2 quick wickets, Mumineen I knew they needed to find a solid partnership to win the game. Imran was next in and decided to play some big shots, which uncontrollably lifted the run-rate. From being 19/1 after 4 overs, Mumineen I lifted their rate to 73/2 after 7 overs. One over featured 27 runs from it bowled by Saddiq. Imran was finally out bowled for a very quick 50. Mumineen I were 123/3 after only 11 overs. Anoop was soon run-out and fell short of his 50, but some sensible batting from Nazim and company, saw through the run chase and led Mumineen I to their 3rd consecutive victory.

Mumineen I 144/5 After 15.2 Overs

Batting
Imran Sadick - 50
Anoop Basdeo - 42

Bowling
Vivian Khan - 3 0 20 2

Mumineen I's next game will be against Mumineen II at Tamarac Sports Complex, in which should be a slobberknocker as usual.

Points Table after Week 5

Muttaqeen I - 27 Points
Mumineen I - 21 Points
Mumineen II - 18 Points
Nur-ul-Islam - 18 Points
Alliance - 12 Points
Muttaqeen II - 9 Points
MJAM Arrival - 6 Points
Unity - 3 Points

IJSCL Fall Season 2011 - Mumineen I Vs. Alliance @ Margate Middle School - Game 2

It was an overcast morning at Margate Middle as Mumineen I hosted Alliance for their second game of the season. It has been a few weeks since the last Mumineen I have played. One week was missed due to a wedding and the following was missed due to a rain-out against Muttaqeen II. Alliance had won the toss and surprisingly took the ball first instead of the bat as rain was set to come down and make the pitch very difficult to play on later. Openers Imran and Razak were on a mission to give a good start and that is exactly what they did. Mumineen I were off to a flyer as they were 54/0 after 5 overs thanks to some clean hitting from Razak and more notably Imran. Imran fell to the first delivery of the 6th over bowled by Masood. The following over, Razak was out caught straight on by Tallim. 2 overs later, Nazim was gone and an over following Nazim's wicket, Zahid was caught as well. Mumineen I were quickly burying themselves in a hole. From being 54/0 after 5 overs, they were 73/4 after 10 overs. Aseef and the always dependable Altab, held the innings down and batted sensibly. After a critical 27 run partnership, Aseef was caught at the boundary by Masood after a fantastic 20. Shaheed was next in. Altab and Shaheed both finished the innings off with 47/0 in the last 5 overs, despite some miss-hits by Shaheed. (Da chap ah get ol). Mumineen I finished with a score they thought should've been much higher, but nonetheless they still accepted it.

Mumineen I 147/5 After 20 Overs

Batting
Altab - 48* (This guy won't ever get a 50 again. 8th score of 40-49 in the past 2 seasons.)
Imran Sadick - 30

Bowling
Shamzad Hoosein - 3 0 16 2

Mumineen I knew how strong of a batting lineup Alliance possessed and knew they needed early wickets. A few loose deliveries were being put away, but they wickets were coming for Mumineen I. The fielding was looking even worse than the week before as overthrows and not backing up the throws came. It was a day of butterfingers as many catches were dropped and also a few catches were not called for. With only half of the score on the board, Alliance had already lost 6 wickets, but Naieem was still at one end. He decided to turn the game around with some great shots and was finding partners to help him. In the 18th over, Naieem was finally pinned down and that finished it off for Alliance, as they only had tailenders left.

Alliance 137/10 After 19.0 Overs

Batting
Naieem Abdool - 55
Tausief Mohamed - 16

Bowling
Nazim - 4 0 29 3
Zahid - 4 0 27 3

Mumineen I's next game will be against powerhouse, Nur-ul-Islam, in which should be a fantastic game @ Margate Middle School.

Points Table after Week 4

Muttaqeen 1 - 21 Points
Mumineen II - 18 Points
Nur-ul-Islam - 18 Points
Mumineen I - 15 Points
Alliance - 6 Points
MJAM Arrival - 6 Points
Muttaqeen II - 3 Points
Unity - 3 Points

IJSCL Fall Season 2011 Opener - Mumineen I Vs. Unity @ Southridge - Game 1

A hot morning in Miami was set for the opening game of the IJSCL Fall 2011 season. Mumineen I were going against Unity. Mumineen I bowled first. They also had some new faces in the game, Imran Sadick, Shahaan Razak, Zahid Hussain & Nabeel Hussain. Unity had a decent 1st over to begin their innings, but as the 2nd over came about Wazir was run-out. Tight bowling from Mumineen I kept Unity at bay, but the bowlers weren't getting much help from the fielders. Many catches were dropped and there were plenty of miss-fields. After 10 overs, Unity was only 47/4. Once Shaffiat and Javed's partnership was broken, Mumineen I continued to bowl even better with the attack from Loo & Altab, and took wickets to finish Unity off before there allotted 20 overs.

Unity 92/10 After 19.0 Overs
Rasheed Khan - 19
Shaffiat Karmally - 17

Bowling
Javed Lall - 4 0 11 3

Mumineen I saw an easy chase of just 93 runs to win from 120 balls. Razak and Anoop were sent in to open bat for the chase. Razak, who usually don't waste time when he bats, didn't waste time at all. This time the out came before the flurry. Adam was moved up to bat at number 3 because of timing for his 2nd game. He too didn't spend too much time at the crease. Mumineen I were already 5/2 after 9 deliveries. They needed a solid partnership to hold the innings down. Anoop saw the ball very well and ol' reliable, Altab, bat well with him. They put on a match winning partnership by playing very sensible and picking gaps running many 2's and 3's. Anoop was finally out as Mumineen I were 76/3 after 9 overs. Young future star, Nabil, was sent in next, but didn't last long as he was caught by Rasheed. Zahid and Altab saw through the rest of the runs and finished the game off with a boundary from Altab. It was a solid strong win by Mumineen I to start off their season.

Mumineen I 95/4 After 12.2 Overs
Altab - 40*
Anoop - 26

Bowling
Wazir Mohammed - 3 0 8 2

Mumineen I will sit the next game out because of a wedding by captain Aseef Amin's sister, Alisha. Best of luck go to her and her newly soon to be husband, Kareem. Next game will be against newcomers, Muttaqeen II at Tamarac Sports Complex on Sunday, October 9th 2011.

Standings After Week 1 and total points
Mumineen I 1-0 6 Points
Muttaqeen I 1-0 6 Points
Nur-ul-Islam 1-0 6 Points
Mumineen II 1-0 6 Points
Unity 0-1 0 Points
Alliance 0-1 0 Points
Muttaqeen II 0-1 0 Points
MJAM Arrival 0-1 0 Points

IJSCL Fall 2011 Season

The end of the Summer is near. All this could mean is the Fall season is bound to start very soon. A meeting will be held this Saturday at Muttaqeen masjid. There are talks that 2 new teams will be joining and players have swapped all around the league to different teams. Hopefully we will be able to start very soon and find out what will be in store for us this season.

IJSCL Spring 2011 Finals Summary

Congratulations to Muttaqeen on a very successful first season as they took the IJSCL Championship from Alliance in yet another one sided finals game. Man of the Match was Asif Busgith who scored 73 runs in quick time. Congrats also Kaiume Mohammed for scoring a 50 for his team as well. Muttaqeen came out and put on a tremendous batting display as they scored 199/3 in their 20 Overs. Alliance only managed to come back and score 142/9 after their 20 Overs. In 2 weeks will be the All-Star game, as new champions, Muttaqeen faces off the IJSCL All-Stars, in which should be a great contest.

THE STAGE IS SET !

Going into this fourth installment of the IJSCL season there was heavy debate on who the odds on favorite to walk away with the trophy would be. Each team felt they had the right to be considered the cream of the crop. Amongst the the six teams, they're two teams that continued to come up in conversation over and over. Two teams that a wide array of others felt had enough to quote unquote separate themself from the pack. It's only fitting these two teams shall meet in the semifinals of the IJSCL tournament. These two teams are Muttaqeen and Mumineen I.


ACT I
These two teams met earlier in the season, week 2. Muttaqeen were the "new kids on the block" but filled with veterans of the game and having to face the seasoned two time Champions, Mumineen I. Muttaqeen quickly showed why they would be a force to be reckoned with as they simply bulldozed Mumineen I in a stunning meltdown by M1. The game saw Kaiume Mohamed from Muttaqeen lead the chase of 137 in a phenomenal 12.1 overs. Mumineen I's only bright spot, and what would later turn out to be their most consistent batsmen, Altab Mohammed made 47 in a losing effort.



ACT II
Guns were blazing in this one as both teams knew the implications were high. With playoffs right around the corner and teams still lurking.. a win over the other would be proven..huge. In a total 180 degrees from their first encounter M1 shocked Muttaqeen with a superb bowling performance, bowling out Muttaqeen for just 113 runs in 16.5 overs. To add insult to injury there was a early blitz from openers Anoop Basdeo and Asad Razak pushing M1 62/0 after 6 overs. In the end M1 secured the victory with only 15.2 overs in the books.



INTENSIFIED
This game was truly heated further as both sides in the spirit of competition went a little overboard. It saw one essential player on each team suspended for 2 games and became the talking point across the league. While both teams have great respect for one and another, it's quite certain there would be no love lost between the two.




PRESENT DAY
The 4th Season of the IJSCL has closed it's final chapter. It now begins the Epilogue known as the Playoffs. The tallies have been marked. The scores have been counted. M1 has kept their #1 ranking as Muttaqeen has secured the fourth and final playoff spot.

In a game that will highlight statistically the top batsmen in the league, Alistair Khan and his runner up Altab Mohammed. A game that will include a total of 7 players scoring 50 or more in one inning. The top wicket taker in the league, M1 skipper Aseef Amin and one of the top catch takers Kevin Bubhna. This game promises to be one for the ages.

Both teams will go in there thinking they are the team to beat. Both teams will feel the pressure of knowing they are only one game away from the Championship. One win away from the trophy. One minor week away from cementing their names into the IJSCL history books. Captains Fahron Persaud and Aseef Amin will surely sit down and bring their best 11 troops to march out on the field and claim what each believe is rightfully theirs for the taking.

For one team they will celebrate the joys of making it to the final and for the other sorrow for having come this far only to fall short. We are less then 24 hours away from this spectacular event. One that will go down undoubtedly as the greats.

May 15th, 2011 will go down as D-Day for these two teams. Which one shall rise to the occasion and which one shall falter to the bottom? The time for speculation is over, the strategizing, the planning, the smack talking...it's all over. It is time to go out there and let it all hang out on sport's biggest sanctuary, the cricket field.

The time has come and is upon us. Sit back and enjoy the fireworks, SATISFACTION....GUARANTEED!

Mumineen I Vs. Nur ul Islam @ Tamarac Sports Complex #7 - Game 9

It was another hot Sunday morning as Mumineen I went to face off against Nur ul Islam. Openers Zahid Hussein and Asif Sharief went in to bat as Mumineen I won the toss and put Nur ul Islam to bat first. Zahid was run out in the 2nd over after an excellent throw from Razak that was almost too good for him. He was injured for a short time as his arm blew out. He was safely back fielding after a few minutes. The bowling soon go wayward and Asif was prepared to take advantage. Zaheer picked up a wicket to stop a partnership, but next batsman was Hazo. This partnership was on a steady pace finding gaps and playing powerful shots down the ground. In no time, Nur ul Islam were already 91/2 after only 10 overs. Things took a turn as Altab and Javed came into the attack. The rate plumetted as the big batsmen, Asif, Hazo, Vivian and Cliff all got out in quicktime. Javed's bowling seemed to be unhittable as the ball failed to come off the bat. The low order seemed to struggle as well even with Sultan batting at number 8. A cameo was played by Manny that lifted Nur ul Islam's score to one that would be defendable. After Manny was out, the tail was vulnerable and Captain Aseef took advantage. For the 3rd time this season, Aseef was on a hat-trick. The hat-trick delivery was a lazily ball that stood in the air, but was almost too far to catch with the field in. That didn't stop Brian from taking a leaping backwards one hand catch to complete the hat-trick. It was only the 2nd time this was done in the IJSCL. Mumineen I came back with a vengeance just giving up 49 runs and taking 8 wickets in the final 9 overs faced.

Nur-ul-Islam 140/10 After 18.5 Overs

Asif Sharief - 46
Sheik Azeerulla - 24
Manny Hussein - 24

Aseef 3.5 0 18 4
Javed 3 0 10 2

The rate required was a little over 7 runs per over. A big wicket fell from the first delivery as Razak was caught. That didn't stop Mumineen I from going on a vicious start as they have been doing lately. After 3 overs, they quickly had 43/1 on the board. After a quick 46 run partnership, Anoop was run out. The tempo had dropped, but runs were coming at the required rate. Aseef was out and then Brian was out quickly. Mumineen I were 97/4 and didn't have alot of batting left to come with the lineup slightly weekened. Altab and Zaheer found form again in both of their innings as they put on a clinic for Mumineen I. They batted sensibly and finished the game in style as Zaheer hit a towering six over deep mid-wicket.

Mumineen I 145/4 After 17 Overs

Altab - 42*
Zaheer - 28*

Zahid 4 1 15 1

Standings after week 9

Mumineen I 39 Pts
Alliance 30 Pts
Mumineen II 27 Pts
Muttaqeen 24 Pts
Nur-ul-Islam 24 Pts
Unity 12 Pts

Mumineen I, Alliance & Mumineen II are safely in the playoffs. Muttaqeen will play against Nur-ul-Islam next on May 1st, to see who will be the final team for the playoffs.

Mumineen I Vs. Mumineen II @ Tamarac Sports Complex #6 - Game 8

It was a very hot morning at Tamarac. Mumineen II had won the toss and decided to have a bat first. Some wayward bowling by Mumineen I had Mumineen II with a great start of 26/0 after only 3 overs. Kam and Zameer started a lethal partnership and were looking very dangerous. Kam was out bowled, which lead an in form Mustaq to bat. Mustaq and Zameer were easily finding boundaries all over the park hitting good and bad deliveries. After 12 overs, Mumineen II were already 119/3. A wicket fell in the following over as Zameer was caught by Omar, but Mustaq wasn't done yet. He had really began to pour it on and batted the rest of the innings with Fazal. At the end, Mumineen I gave up the highest score they have ever given up in the IJSCL.

Mumineen II 198/4 After 20 Overs

Mustaq - 69*
Zameer - 38
Kam - 37

Altab 4 0 32 2

Mumineen I were aware that they were chasing a gigantic score of 199. Razak and Zaheer opened up the batting for Mumineen I. Zaheer hit a wonderful shot for 4, but followed it being caught after lofting a delivery straight to long off. Mumineen I had a very slow start and looked in trouble already as they were only 19/1 after 4 overs. The rate was picking up slowly, but not enough was added. The run-rate kept rising and wickets started to fall. After 10 overs, Mumineen I were 65/4, needing another 134 in the last 10. More tight bowling as added in and as Aseef fell being bowled by Mustaq, it was a nail in the coffin. Adam came in with a late batting onslaught, but it wasn't enough as Mumineen I fell to their 3rd defeat.

Mumineen I 150/9 After 20 Overs

Adam - 38
Aseef - 38
Razak - 31

Idreece - 1 0 6 2
Zameer - 3 0 22 2
Mustaq - 3 0 26 2

In other news, I would like to congratulate Asif Sharief in a wonderful century against Unity. That is the second week in a row that a player on Nur-ul-Islam has scored a century. In fact, our next game will be against them. So this should be fun.

Mumineen I Vs. Muttaqeen @ Tamarac Sports Complex #7 - Game 7

Mumineen I had one thing on their mind this game and that was payback from the game they were humiliated by against Muttaqeen. Mumineen I won the toss and put in Muttaqeen to bat first. The bowling was very tight in the first 3 overs as Muttaqeen only scored 12. Things took a huge turn as the next 3 overs went for 44 runs. Muttaqeen were going along well with Alastair leading their pack. He eventually started losing partners with some help from Zaheer, but they were at a healthy 81/4 after 10 overs. This is where it turned around for Mumineen I. Some big wickets were taken as captain Aseef took Steve and Tariq leaving the tail vulnerable. Mumineen I did an excellent job coming back and bowled out Muttaqeen before they could finish their 20 overs.

Muttaqeen 113/10 After 16.5 Overs

Alastair Khan - 42
Fahron Persaud - 15

Zaheer Ali - 3 0 28 3
Aseef Amin - 2 0 12 2
Altab Mohamed - 2.5 0 28 2

Mumineen I saw it was a low target and didn't want to waste time. Razak and Anoop went to open bat and immediately saw the deliveries like they were beach balls. Mumineen I were already 63/0 after after 6 overs. Both Razak and Anoop were both out again at just about the same time. This time it was 2 deliveries later instead of the following delivery. That did not stop a fantastic stand by the two who continue to give Mumineen I what they were missing last year, a good start. Mumineen I continued to bat sensibly throughout the rest of the chase to see them home. They won with 4.4 overs to spare.

Mumineen I 117/4 After 15.2 Overs

Razak - 35
Anoop - 22

Kaiume - 4 0 22 3

Standings After Week 7

Record Points
Mumineen I - 5-2 30
Muttaqeen - 5-2 24
Alliance - 3-3 18
Nur-ul-Islam - 3-4 18
Mumineen II - 2-4 12
Unity - 2-4 12

Mumineen I Vs. Alliance @ Tamarac Sports Complex #7 - Game 6

Mumineen I was set to go against last seasons champions, Alliance, for the second time this season. Alliance won the toss and decided to have a bat first on a warm day. It was a good start for Mumineen I as both openeres for Alliance were gone within the first 3 overs. Shalim and Saffie were in and they were starting to build a solid partnership. This was after some help with dropped catches and missed run-out AND a wayward over by Nazim in which he bowled 6 wides. Alliance eventually put on a solid score of 61/2 after 8 overs. Things took a horrible turn for Alliance as Captain Seefo was in the middle of his 2nd over. Both Shalim and Saffie were caught on back to back deliveries. Aseef was on a hat-trick delivery that failed to give him a wicket. More wickets started to tumble as Aseef continued having a field day taking 2 more consecutive wickets getting Khemraj and Tallim caught as well. He once again epically failed to get the 3rd wicket for his hat-trick. Alliance was in a world of trouble as they were down 99/6 after 15 overs. With some tight bowling at the end from Anoop, Quadir and Nazim, Alliance only scored 17 runs in their last 5 overs.

Alliance 116/7 After 20 Overs

Saffie Rahaman - 21

Aseef - 4 0 21 4
Anoop - 4 1 21 2

Mumineen I saw it was a low total to chase, but they weren't taking the Alliance bowling attack lightly. Openers Anoop and Razak decided they wanted this to be ended quickly. They both came out seeing the ball like it was a hot fudge sundae. In 3 overs, Mumineen I quickly had 34/0 on the board. The first wicket fell as Anoop got caught at straight, long on by Irshad for 10. The following delivery, Razak was caught at deep square leg for 27 after hitting 6 boundaries during his innings. For the 3rd time, someone was on a hat-trick, but Saffie as well failed to get it. After 2 quick wickets, Mumineen I decided to slow things down a little and play sensibly. Nazim and Altab saw the ball well and played through the rest of the chase. Altab wasn't close to his 50 this time, but he played a great knock. Nazim and Altab added 79 runs for the 3rd wicket. Mumineen I comfortably won by 8 wickets with 3.4 overs to spare.

Mumineen I 117/2 After 16.2 Overs

Nazim - 40*
Altab - 34*
Razak - 27

Saffie - 3.2 0 21 2

Mumineen I will be taking on Muttaqeen next, looking for a little payback after what happened in their first game.

In other news, Mumineen II lost against Nur-ul-Islam & Muttaqeen defeated Unity. Congrats goes out to Vivian Khan for scoring the first IJSCL century.

Mumineen I Vs. Nur ul Islam @ Tamarac Sports Complex #7

Mumineen I knew they were heading into a difficult game against a very improved Nur-ul-Islam team from last season with the addition of Sultan, Vivian, Asif Sharief & Mike Khan. Mumineen I took a bat first and found themselves in trouble early as their captain Aseef was bowled in the first over. A few overs later, the other opener, Brian, was run out. After two quick wickets, Mumineen I needed to rebuild. Anoop and Altab were in the mood to do so. They scored freely with the bat and stole alot of runs by making 1's into 2's, something Mumineen I was lacking before. They were 96/2 after the first 10 overs. Altab was stumped out after a questionable call. Anoop continued to pour it on with other wickets falling around him. He was bowled trying to lift the score higher in the final overs. Mumineen I had a tough time in the end and actually got bowled out with 1 delivery remaining. Only 16 runs were added in the final 4 overs. By the way, Altab was once again short of his 50 for the 4th week in a row scoring more than 45. Hazo decided to go through his old team like they were gift wrap paper, racking up 6 wickets.

167/10 After 19.5 Overs

Anoop - 56
Altab - 48

S.Azeerulla - 3.5 0 22 6

Mumineen I knew they were facing probably the most dangerous batting side in the league. The bowling was very tight up front by Anoop and Altab. Vivian and Saddiq found it hard to score. This pressure caused a run out between them, then Vivan being caught out soon after. Mike was bowled and another run out also brought Nur ul Islam down even more. After Nur ul Islam first 10 overs, they were already 40/5. Asif was caught by Spike in the outfield. The last 2 big bats that were left for Nur ul Islam to beat the runs, but the target was very stiff. Sultan was bowled by Aseef and Hazo was caught and bowled soon after. The rest of Nur ul Islam fell to tought bowling and they were all out in the 20th over.

85/10 After 19.1 Overs

S.Azeerulla - 22

Aseef - 4 1 22 3
Altab - 4 0 12 2

Standings After Week 4

Muttaqeen 3-1
Mumineen I 3-1
Nur-ul-Islam 2-2
Alliance 2-2
Mumineen II 1-3
Unity 1-3

Mumineen I Vs. Mumineen II @ Tamarac Sports Complex #6 - Game 3

It was a great morning for cricket as the weather was fair. The toss was won by Mumineen II and decided they wanted to bowl first. Mumineen I had a quick start with Aseef and Anoop scoring quick runs. Anoop was out caught for 7. 2 overs later Aseef was bowled by a full toss from Afzal. Altab and Zaheer fought on and tried to build a partnership, but that fell soon as well when Zaheer was run out again for the 3rd week straight. This lead to more quick wickets falling as Nazim and Brian both went for ducks. Mumineen I was in a world of trouble at 65-5. Altab and Adam brought Mumineen I right back into the game. Adam slammed 20 runs off an over bowled by Zameer Razak. Adam was bowled by Bud, but his contribution was vital to the total. Altab batted with the rest of the order to put up a final score of 140/9 after 20 overs. Altab was once again for the 3rd week straight, short of his 50.

Mumineen I 140/9 After 20 Overs

Altab - 46*
Adam - 28
Aseef - 24

Mustaq - 4 0 21 4
Bud - 3 0 19 2
Afzal - 4 0 28 2

Mumineen I knew the strength of the Mumineen II batting lineup and knew they had to bowl much better than they did in the previous game against Muttaqeen. First wicket to go down was a big one as Fazal was caught behind by Omar for 7. Shemer was soon bowled by Nazim a few overs later. Wickets starting falling at a quick pace for Mumineen II as Mustaq, Brian Seeram and Idreece all went down. Mumineen II found themselves in a similar fashion Mumineen I was in with the score 68-5. Zameer and Bud were the last 2 barriers Mumineen I need to breakthrough to win. Zameer was the first to fall as he was caught by whoelse....the mans son, Nazim. Another wicket of Afzal fell soon afterwards, which brought victory even closer to Mumineen I. A few balls later, the X factor Bud was caught by Brian. The wicket taker on that one was....that guys son, Aseef. Mumineen II never recovered and were down and out for the count. Mumineen I played a very good game with outstanding bowling and fielding.

Mumineen II 114/9 After 20 Overs

Zameer Razack - 30
Hasratalli Amin - 23

Aseef - 4 0 18 2
Anoop - 4 0 26 2

Standings After Week 3

Muttaqeen 2-1
Mumineen I 2-1
Nur-ul-Islam 2-1
Mumineen II 1-2
Alliance 1-2
Unity 1-2

Mumineen I Vs. Muttaqeen @ Tamarac Sports Complex #7 - Game 2

Mumineen I were aware of the new team Muttaqeen who had a very strong side. Mumineen I won the toss and sent themselves to bat. Brian and Zaheer found it hard to score runs early on and as a result, Z was run out. Brian was also run out trying to steal a run. Mumineen I never seemed to form a big partnership, but Altab decided to start swinging for the fences as the rate was low. He later too fell with a run out after a solid innings. Asif Adam came in and put on a cameo scoring much needed runs in quick time. Altab was once again short of his 50, but Mumineen I came out with a score of 137 after their 20 overs.

137/5 after 20 Overs.

Altab - 47
Asif - 24*

Steve Persaud - 4 1 9 1

Mumineen I knew they had a bowling attack that can contain a score of 138. From the first over, the game took a turn for the worse as misfields and wayward deliveries were pitched. The Muttaqeen batsmen scored very freely in their innings as Mumineen I looked beaten in the field from their body language. Many of misfields and bad deliveries were bowled. It only took Muttaqeen 12.1 Overs to beat Mumineen I total.

142/3 After 12.1 Overs

Kaiume Mohammed - 46*
Asif Busgith - 29
Steve Persaud - 26*

Anoop Basdeo - 3 0 18 1

Standing after Week 2

Mumineen I 1-1
Mumineen II 1-1
Unity 1-1
Muttaqeen 1-1
Nur-ul-Islam 1-1
Alliance 1-1

Mumineen I Vs. Alliance @ Tamarac Sports Complex #7 - Game 1

It was a chilly morning at Tamarac as the first game of the season was underway. Mumineen I won the toss and decided to have a bat first. They were also seeking a comprehensive victory from when they were knocked out of the playoffs last season against Alliance in the semi-final. The openers Brian and Zaheer came in with a mindset to punish the bowlers early and that is exactly what they did. Brian was the culprit for attacking the Alliance bowlers early on. Mumineen I quickly put on 55/0 after 5 overs. Brian was caught and bowled by Naieem in the 6th over for a blitzing 36. Nazim was next in. Zaheer continued to bat well with Nazim and was later run out on a chance for a double. Altab was next in, but as he came in, Nazim was caught and bowled by Arkhan. Two deliveries later, Mumineen I captain, Aseef, was caught. 3 wickets falling in very quick time forced Mumineen I to slow the pace down. They were at 95/4 after 11 overs. Asif Adam was in next, as he and Altab built a partnership that put the innings back on its feet. Asif was undone trying to go over the top for 15. Altab led a vicious charge at the end along with Adam. All of the thunder was from Altab's bat though. Mumineen I scored 53/1 in their last 5 overs. They finished with an imposing total of 170/5 after their 20 overs.

Altab - 49*
Brian - 36
Zaheer - 29

Arkhan Ally - 3/18

Mumineen I came in with possibly the strongest bowling attack they've ever had. Alliance openers Naieem and Arkhan got off to a good start hitting wayward deliveries from Mumineen I opening bowler, Quadir :( This seemed to be the only blemish from the Mumineen I bowling. Nazim seemed to be untouchable against Alliance. Altab's first over caused the game to turn for Alliance for the worse. Arkhan was bowled by Altab 2 deliveries after hitting a 4 and then Saffie was caught brilliantly by a diving Quadir on the following delivery :) This pegged Alliance back. Asif and Zaheer entering the attack didn't help Alliances chances either as Syad was bowled by Zaheer and Naieem was gone a few overs later by Altab. Captain Aseef also decided to join the party as he bowled Tallim. He also took another wicket later on. Alliance never recovered and got a partnership going. They bat out their 20 overs and only managed to score 114/8 chasing a target of 171.

Naieem Abdool - 26

Altab - 3/18
Zaheer - 2/31
Aseef - 2/10

Mumineen I definitely looked like a different team than they were last season. The batting and bowling was phenomenal. The fielding was also on point. Mumineen I will definitely have their eyes on that championship once again. In other news, Nur ul Islam defeated Mumineen II with a top class innings from Vivian Khan, who scored a fantastic 77. He also cracked 9 sixes in his innings in what might be a record in the IJSCL. Unity defeated Muttaqeen in their first game. Muttaqeen was shorthanded with only 9 players. Kashwar Baksh was great in that game bowling figures of 3/15 and scoring 27 runs in a chase of only 68. Muttaqeen actually brought it down to the wire as Unity only won by 3 wickets.

Standings after Week 1

Mumineen I 1-0
Nur ul Islam 1-0
Unity 1-0
Mumineen II 0-1
Alliance 0-1
Muttaqeen 0-1

IJSCL 2011 Spring Season

We will be starting our new season in a week on February 13th. We have lost one team and gained one team. We lost Believers and gained Muttaqeen. 10 games are scheduled this season again. Good luck to all teams.

IJSCL Finals - Alliance Vs. Mumineen II

The toss was won by Bud from Mumineen II and he decided to have a bat first. With a long speech from Basheer, Zahid, Hazo, Zaheer and Arman before the game, the setting for the game was going to be like none other that we have had in this league. The attendance was already the highest that we've had for any game in the league since the beginning. Mumineen II was off to a healthy start from Siraj and Kam, until Siraj was caught by Irshad and mid-off. Later Kam was run-out with Fazal Baksh as they tried to push a double that wasn't there. Wickets started to tumble quickly as partnerships were being short. A huge wicket fell as Mumineen II top batsman, Mustaq (Junior), was run-out. Mumineen II was 53/4 after their 10 overs. When the break returned, Bud came in and put away a delivery for a massive 6, but 2 deliveries later, Sheik (Junior), from Alliace, made a mess of his stumps, which proved to be the game changer. This was a big blow for Mumineen II as they found themselves in a deep hole with their captain back to the benches. Afzal was next in and did what he normally does...hit the ball as hard as he can. He smacked a few boundaries in a short amount of time, but he too fell. After his wicket, Fazal Deen was stumped out on his first ball faced. The chips were down for Mumineen II and they seemed to have a very weak score against a strong Alliance side. A batsman by the name of Rehamat decided to come in and light up the Alliance attack with some brilliant strokes. He risen the Mumineen II score to 129/9 in the 20 overs batted. His cameo off the last few overs gave him a top score of 40*

Alliance knew this wasn't a massive total, but they know that the Mumineen II side is capable of bowling numerous teams out for low scores. Deja vu from last years semi-final? The Alliance openers Sultan and Arkhan decided to attack the Mumineen II bowlers early on. They were finding gaps and boundaries with ease, until Arkhan was bowled by a stunning delivery from Afzal. Saffie was next in. Sultan and Saffie had a partnership that was sure to seal the deal for the finals. They were scoring at an extreme rate, which the Mumineen II squad couldn't handle. Saffie was out for 29, when he hit his own stumps on a delivery. Fahron was the next man in. He and Sultan finished off the game with some clean hitting. This ended the Mumineen winning streak from the first two seasons. Alliance were crowned champions of the IJSCL Fall Season 2010/11. Man of the match award was easily won by Sultan Khan for a great knock of above 50.

AWARDS

Most Runs In The Season - Asif Sharief.

Hat-trick - Irfan Yasin.

There were several trophies given out for 50's in the tournament. Two of them were for Mumineen I openers, Brian and Razack.

Multiple 50's - Ray Haniff, Zahid Hussain, Talim Samad, Mustaq Jameer and Asif Sharief.

The Most Recognizable Player of The Season - Irshad Abdool

We will have the IJSCL All-Star game next week as new champions, Alliance, goes up against IJSCL All-Stars @ Tamarac Sports Complex Cricket Ground.