New England Cricket Association [NECA] this year had more than 50 teams participating, a huge jump from previous years. The numbers keep increasing but thanks to the its crew the NECA ship keeps afloat. At its helm is Ganesh Iyer (Mathworks CC) with his able officers: Ujwal Raval (eClinical Works), Ram Sundaram (TechPro), Mahadevan Vasudeven (ECC Hoickers) and Raghuvir Leelasagar (Mathworks CC). The ever-growing passion for cricket keeps the NECA board members work really cut out for them. Needless to say a lot of hard work go behind the curtain. Once NECA season is over, other smaller leagues come into action (FCL, WCL, Woonsocket League, CCL and also charity cricket) - The fun never ends for the Hard Tennis and hard leather ball cricket goers, even the youth are getting trained and have a league of their own. The small plant named 'Lagaan' that Bhuvan, Yashodama, Bhura, Goli and Guran planted during the British Raj in India has grown into a fruit bearing forest.

After playing in NECA league both ShaheenXI (A and B) teams made their mark in their own divisions. Mujeeb Khan topped and maintained among all divisions the best fielder title in the NECA league by taking 18 catches for sometime and finally ranking second with 26 dismissals to his credit.  Asif Hirani (Imam) ranked second in XI-2 division as the second best bowler with 20 wickets in 11 matches. Qaseem Choudhary became the MOM when he scored 45 runs contributing to winning a match.  Mujeeb Khan had the highest batting score of 169 runs, followed by Mukarram Hussain,  Maqsood Moghal and Qaseem Choudhary.

Meanwhile, In their division; Shujaat Usmani and Faheem Syed of ShaheenXI-1 ranked second and third with 175 and 171 runs respectively.

As of 10/10/2019 the NECA bill board displays: Most Runs [ 292 Sunny Savaliya], Most Catches [ 30 Prabhat Singh], Most Wickets [ 25 Hanumesh Jojode], Best Bowling [ 6/6 Jishnu] and Highest Score [ 85 Waqas Nawaz]

After NECA other leagues kicked off  [WCL, CCL, Corporate League, Charity Leagues and FCL to name a few.] Both ShaheenXI teams played in different leagues and both teams are now in the Quarter Finals in their respective leagues (WCL/CCL and FCL) - It was in CCL that Shujaat made a whopping 82 runs that included 6 sixes and 4 fours. The match was a nail biting finish. The opposite team had already scored 176 runs in 20 overs. ShaheenXI-1 chased well, but Shujaat's 82 and Mukarram's 48 along with the rest of the team's contribution tied the score at 176 runs. Nonetheless, ShaheenXI-1 was still able to make it to the QF because of their high run rate - oh yes just like every vote, every run counts.

Meanwhile ShaheenXI-2 players in an earlier match in CCL against the 'Rising Stars" witnessed Zakir Ali taking an hat-trick. In the same match he gave 6 runs only and took 5 wickets ( could have been 6 hadn't I dropped a rather difficult running catch ). New-comer Basit Ali also took 3 wickets and two fine catches. Thus the 'Rising Stars" could not rise much and were all out for 36 runs.  It was a fairly easy victory and in the hope of scoring the winning runs off my bat, the three winning runs came in wide balls instead.

The next day playing in FCL league, Zakir Ali pulled another hat-trick, while Abid Hussain took 3 wickets giving away only 8 runs.

We got the team all out for 62 runs.  ShaheenXI-2 openers scored more than 50 between each other and ShaheenXI-2 won by 9 wickets and with a good run rate that also edged us into the QF.

Earlier Fazal Alam in a spectacular innings ( that included 7 sixes and a few boundaries) in hard ball playing for Commonwealth, picked up the championship cup for winning 2019 MSCL Division A.  CCA captain Fazal Alam also thanked the Shaheen XI players for their contribution in the nets and on the field.

Next week both ShaheenXI-1 and XI-2 will be in the playoffs in their own league. The goal is to pick up 2 cups.

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