Texas A & M Defeat Houston Cougars For SW Title

Texas A & M Defeat Houston Cougars For SW Title

The Texas A & M batsman were in superb form in the final

©AmericanCollegeCricket.com

The Texas A & M Aggies' batting was like the New England Patriots offence, a scoring juggernaut ! Their top batsmen had the following scores at the South West Championship :  
 
Anurag Verma 44, 67,54 ; Venkatesh Ravishankar 58,29,39 ; Hamza 32,27, and Ochert Greyvenstein 54*, and Angadh 41 .
 
The team put up two scores of over 200 runs, against strong teams : 208 vs Texas Tech Raiders and 207 vs the Houston Cougars ! to stretch their unbeaten streak in American College Cricket to 7 games, and take the South West title !
 
TEXAS TECH RAIDERS vs TEXAS A & M AGGIES
 
Number 9 and # 10 ranked Texas A & M Aggies and Texas Tech Raiders took the field Sunday morning knowing the winner would play the Finals of the first South West Championship, in College Station. Aggies Captain Hamza, and left handed strokeplayer Anuragh put on 66 for the opening partnership before Hamza ws caught off Satyyam for 32, made in 27 balls (3 fours 2 sixes).
 
Anurag played some delightful shots before getting run out for 44, in 29 balls (4 fours 1 six). Venkatesh and Ochert Greyvenstein continued the Aggies onslaught.
 
Venkatesh struck 58  in 27 balls (6 fours 2 sixes), Greyvenstein 54* in 21 balls with a barrage of 5 sixes and 3 fours, including a 6 off the last ball ! The Aggies amassed 208 in their 20 overs !
 
As if the task was not tough enough, Hamza proved practically unplayable and took 4 Raiders’ wickets for 15 runs. Sunny and Wasif took 2 each.
 
Raghav put up a fight, scoring 32 in 14 balls (5 fours 1 six) and Avinash made 19 (2 fours) before Texas Tech fell for 114 all out. TAMU earning the win by 94 runs.
 
WEST TEXAS A & M BUFFS vs HOUSTON COUGARS
 
The West Texas A & M University Buffs team was very new and inexperienced but they drove 10 hours for the opportunity to play in the South West regionals. WTAMU Dean and Professor E W Henderson even came to watch the game and support the team.
 
Batting first the Buffs found it tough going against the excellent bowling attck of the UHouston Cougars,4 of whose bowlers took 2 wickets each: Ankit Mehta 2 for 6,Nabeel 2 for 14,Ryan Corns 2 for 9, Ahsan 2 for 17.
 
For WTAMU Buffs Shravan made 22 in 7 balls (2 fours) before getting stumped.Rahil made 21 in 23 balls ( 1 four 1 six). At the end Manoj struck a 6 amd finished on 11 runs.
 
Ryan Corns showed why he has been shortlisted to possibly represent the USA in the T20 World Cup Qualifier, by smashing 47* in 18 balls (5 fours 3 sixes). His opening partner Ahmed made 39 in 19 (6 fours 1 six) to make short work of the 100 runs needed to win, and the University of Houston Cougars advanced to the Finals to meet the waiting Texas A & M Aggies !
 
FINALS : AGGIES vs COUGARS
 
The Aggies batted first and once again Hamza and Anurag got them off to a good start,putting on 54 before Hamza was caught by Corns off Nabeel for 27 in 14 ( 1 four 2 sixes). Venkatesh then followed up his 59 earlier in the day with 29 in 21 (3 fours) as he and Anurag put on 58.
 
With the score on 150 Anuragh went for 67 in 45 balls (10 fours). Angadh struck a quick 41 in 21 balls (3 fours 2 sixes) as the Aggies amassed 207 to follow up their 208 against Texas Tech !
 
Cougars Captain Shuja was confident his strong batting lineup could get the total, and whhilst Ryan Corns and Ankit Mehta were at the wicket it looked possible. But Corns swept and was caught brilliantly by Ankush for 23 (3 fours) and Venkatesh bowled Mehta for 19 (3 fours).
 
Only Atiq low in the order showed resistance, striking 3 sixes in his 23 as the University of Houston Cougars team crumbled for 105, and the Texas A & M Aggies were the first South West regional Champions !
 
Bowling for the Aggies Greyvenstein showed pace and movement and took a wicket, Wasif took 2 for 25, Hamza wrapped up the tail with 2 for 10, whilst Ankush and Venkatesh took a wicket each.
 
The Aggies now get set to travel to Florida where they will be one of the favorites to win the national title in March, at the American College Cricket Spring Break Championship – to be seen on TV Asia.

Lloyd Jodah