Aarav Murthy leaves the field with the ball after taking a hat trick

NSC U17 165 all out (38.5 Ov)
NY Tri-State Youth 167-3 (32.3 Ov)

NY Tri-State Youth won by 7 wickets

Aarav Murthy took the first hat trick of his life to clinch a semifinal win and a place in the final at the iconic Kensington Oval for his American NY Tri State side. They beat the previously unbeaten National Sports Council side by seven wickets st the beautiful Windward Ground.

A delighted coach Linden Fraser has not mollycoddled the players so far.

After the loss against the Sir Everton Weekes side, his anger was palpable and audible about the errors that had thrown away a winning position.

When the side had won previous games, he was not slow to point out those things he wished to improve.

This time however, there was nothing but unbridled joy in his post-match interview.

“I am so excited for them as they have worked hard from the moment we came here … so wonderful for these kids.

“I am sure they will be at their best come July 17th where we will show the world that, yes, we do have good cricket in the United States.”

Murthy’s star moment came at a crucial stage of the opposition innings.

With NSC 153-6 and 28 balls remaining to boost that total, he dismissed Kadeem Ward (4), Akobi Crichlow-Byer (0), and Treysean Dottin (0) in successive deliveries.

First he clean bowled Ward, before trapping Crichlow-Byer LBW.

With his team mates and watching parents looking on in angst, Dottin spooned the ball past the bowler but into the assured hands of Emmanuel Lewis to spark wild scenes at the Windward Ground.

Murthy called it “a special moment in my life”

It sparked wild scenes as the entire squad flocked first instinctively to Lewis and then as a unit to Murthy to congratulate the hat-trick hero.

“Ajay Prithiviraj has now scored 108 runs since he was last dismissed three games ago and is in the best form possible heading into the final.”

Twelve runs later, Joshua Brathwaite’s (38) brave resistance was ended by Jayden Dowlin and the Americans had 165 to chase rather than the 185-195 that seemed likely. Psychologically, it seemed to make a massive difference to the body language of both sides during the innings break.

Dowling finished with fine figures of 3-20 from 5.5 overs but the day belonged to Murthy who took 4-29 from his full allotment of eight.

Earlier NSC captain Izaiyah Goodman had looked the dangerman and was on 50 when Dave Mohabir caught and bowled him. He’d put on 49 for the first wicket with Jaiden Jordan (18) in 10.4 overs with NSC looking set for a large total.

Although 165 was still higher than anything they had been faced with in their five group games, the NY Tri-State side, batting second for the sixth straight time, approached the target with an amazing assurance.

Shiloh Adams’ 50 steered Tri-State to a comfortable victory

Shiloh Adams (53) and Danish Dinesh (25) put on a quick 41 for the opening wicket stand off just 7.3 overs and that set the tone of not needing to take risks to secure the total within 40 overs.

Adams had belted sixes in the opening over in the last two matches and confidence in his own batting seems to have grown throughout this tournament. There is little lack of confidence in his excellent wicketkeeping and he had unnerved the NSC openers by standing up to the wicket as early as the second over of their innings. He also took yet another stumping.

Another massive six came early in his innings but he showed another side of his game as he watched the in-form Dinesh do the plundering with 25 off 26 balls before being caught by Kamal Greenidge off Joshua Brathwaitte.

Adams was eventually bowled out by Taj Clarke on 53 but he had taken the team significantly enough towards the target by then in a superb all-round performance.

The player who had won a previous game, Ajay Prithiviraj, was an excellent replacement and managed to make an excellent 50 off just 51 balls to steer the Americans safely home with more than seven overs to spare. That his achievement was barely noticed, speaks volumes about how many heroes there were at the Windward.

Prithiviraj has now scored 108 runs since he was last dismissed three games ago and is in the best form possible heading into the final.

He was joined by Lewis on 121-3 and Lewis was a reliable partner adding 18 of the runs required. Dowlin made five but had been promoted up the order and it seems that the Tri-State top order have now found form in time.

We spoke to the two match winners, Murthy and Adams after the match.

Adams spoke of how much work he’d put in eliminating the bad shot selection of earlier games, a tribute to his coach Fraser who had successfully worked on every fault to improve it by the next game as well as his ability to learn quickly.

His joy at being a cricketer is almost childlike in his love for the game and every aspect of it. Guyana, who are already aware of his talents, should never coach that out of him.

Both players were delighted to have the opportunity to play at the Kensington Oval in the final. They and the entire squad who barely knew each other week ago have earned it.

NY Tri-State now play the other non-Caribbean side, Hills Academy from Australia. They scored a massive 253-8 before dismissing the Christchurch Foundation for 105, a 148 run margin of victory.

Advith Boreddy made 130 off 112 balls.

Thw two sides will meet at Kensington Oval on July 1th to decide who takes home the trophy.