END OF PENANG FREE SCHOOL’S REIGN
No longer the top team after 14 years following loss to SMKSTSSS
PENANG Free School were brought down to earth this time. After dominating the Penang Schools boys' Under-18 cricket scene for 14 consecutive years, they were beaten by unheralded SMK Science Tun Syed Sheh Shahbuddin in the semi-finals.
In a nail-biting final at the SK Stowell School Oval, Bukit Mertajam High School (BMHS) cricketers won the toss and elected to bat against arch rivals SMK Science Tun Syed Sheh Shahbuddin (SMKSTSSS) and recorded a 101 runs in 20 overs, beating their opponents by 21 runs.
BMHS opening batsman, Dheevash Roshan Kumarasamy made a good combination with fellow batsman Joshua Anthony who had helped him score 30 runs.
Top batsman was Dheevash Roshan who scored a fantastic figure of 55 runs and was ably supported by his vice captain Wan Haziq Zulkarnain who registered 31 runs.
The top scorers for BMHS were Dheevash Roshan scoring 55 runs in 53 balls and Wan Haziq Zulkarnain 31 runs in 21 balls while the top bowlers for SMKSTSSS were Ahmad Farhan with two wickets in 15 runs and Muhd Azzam with two wickets in 10 runs.
At the second innings, SMKSTSSS went in confidently chasing BMHS’s 101 runs, but were very unfortunate as they only managed to score 80 runs in 20 overs and were disappointed with themselves.
But the spirit of fellowship prevailed as after the match they went to hug their opponents and also for being runners-up for the first time in many years.
Top scorers for SMKSTSSS were Ahamd Farhan who scored eight runs for six balls and Mohd Irfan with nine runs for eight balls, while the top bowlers for BMHS were Dheevash Roshan who took two wickets in one run, Jaiyadeepan four wickets in nine runs with Muhammad Ammar Irfan Mohamed Fazlee Kasmadi, Krish Yoges, Marcus Kam and Jaiyadeepan Ganesh being the other key bowlers.
BMHS skipper, Dheevash Roshan said the win was very special to his school, especially to his teammates and fellow cricketers, present and past who had played a big role in the success of BMHS.
The win would at least erase the frustration of being the second best, as for the last three consecutive years they had played second fiddle to Penang Free School, always losing out in the final.
He said the team trained and worked hard to make it possible, saying: “Everyone showed great character that made the win possible. The win really meant a lot to us and we will cherish it the most for many years. I hope this winning mentality would be the stepping stone and continue to floyrish in the coming years.”
In the semifinals, Bukit Mertajam High School bowled out SMK Bukit Mertajam for 12 runs not out in three overs with eight wickets remaining, while defending champions Penang Free School were wiped out by SMK Sains Tun Syed Sheh Shahhabudin by six wickets.
This has stopped PFS’s dominance in Penang Schools Under18 cricket for the first time after 14 years.