Cricket World Cup: South Africa Defeat Sri Lanka in Historic Match at Nassau County
On Monday, New York hosted its first major cricket match as South Africa defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the Cricket World Cup at the brand new Nassau County ground on Long Island, about 30 miles outside Manhattan. The 12,500-strong crowd, mostly Sri Lankan expats with a mix of South African, Indian, English, and Trinidadian fans, traveled by the Long Island Rail Road to witness the historic event under a beautiful blue sky.
The drop-in pitch proved to be a challenge for the batsmen, with only one player, Reeza Hendricks, managing to score at a run a ball or faster. The overall scoring rate was just over four runs per over, and the match saw a mere 12 boundaries, including six fours and six sixes, across both innings. Despite the low-scoring nature, the game was oddly compelling, providing a good advertisement for Test cricket.
“The drop-in pitch proved to be a challenge for the batsmen, with only one player, Reeza Hendricks, managing to score at a run a ball or faster.”
South Africa’s pace attack, led by the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, and the towering Marco Jansen, proved too much for the Sri Lankan batsmen. Nortje was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with a career-best 4-0-7-4, dismissing several Sri Lankan batsmen caught in the deep. Sri Lanka’s dismal total of 77 was their lowest in T20 cricket.
In response, South Africa’s run chase was not without its own difficulties, taking 16.2 overs to reach the modest target. Quinton de Kock top-scored with 20, highlighting the challenging nature of the pitch.
While hosting a Cricket World Cup match in New York is an ambitious venture, the smooth organization and the enthusiasm of the crowd made for an engaging day of cricket. Despite the limitations of the drop-in pitch, the match provided a glimpse of the growing interest in the sport in the United States.
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