The softball tournament sponsored by Ink Plus, Crown Mining Enterprise and Elegance Jewellery got off to a flying start last Sunday at the Everest Cricket Club ground with four matches in two categories.
In the Open category, using the smaller balls, Success Enforcers inflicted a sound trashing of Aditya’s XI, winning the encounter by 76 runs. The Enforcers were given the initial impetus from Chris Sukhram and Devendra Deosarran, who blasted half centuries. Sukhram cleared the ropes seven times to fall 16 short of a well-deserved century. He ended on 84, while Deosarran clobbered 64 (4×6’s) in typically aggressive fashion, as Success finished on 164 for 4 from their 15 overs.
In their turn at the crease, Aditya’s XI found the Enforcers’ bowling difficult to cope with, and folded for 88. Puran John with 4-17 (3 overs) and Dindial Lakhan with 2-12 (3 overs) were the wreckers with the ball.
Mahendra Hardyal (left) and Rudolph Baker will be leading Regal Masters batting at Albion on Sunday
In what was arguably the most exciting match of the day, Fishermen got away by the slim margin of three runs in their Masters match against Success Masters, much to the excitement of the spectators. Zameer Hassan scored 40 and got support from Troy Ramsaywack with 23, as the victors finished on 121/9 (20 overs); while Trevor Emmanuel (2-15) and A. Haniff (2-20) shared four wickets in sending down four overs each.
Fishermen, who needed a remarkable effort in the field to defend the small total, couldn’t ask for more when Pooran Singh (2-12), Unis Yusuf (2-20) and Ramo Malone (2-21) bowled impressively to send Success reeling for 118 in 19.4 overs, with only Emmanuel coming back to score an attacking 27.
In the other matches on the opening day of the round-robin competition, and in the Masters category, R&R Masters and HS Masters were also on winners’ row.
R and R Masters made 108-1 (14.2 overs). Ejaz Mohamed (46) and Surrylall Kumar (44) beat Albion Masters 109 all out (20 overs) A. Hussain scored 34; Ron Ramnauth took 2 wickets for 19 runs.
HS Masters made 138-6 (20 overs) to defeat Savage Masters by 55 runs. Clyde Hoyte’s 58 not out beat Savage Masters’ 83-8 (20 overs) N. Grannum made 23, while Anthony Ifill took 2/7.
The action continues this Sunday with six matches at two venues. At the Jai Hind ground in Albion, Regal Masters open their campaign against the host, Albion Masters, at 09:30h, followed by a battle between Albion Masters again and Success Masters, this time from 14:00h.
Over at the Malteenoes Sports Club ground on Thomas Lands, Wellman take on R and R Masters at 09:30h on pitch one, while Narine Masters and HS Masters battle on pitch two all in a masters over-40 years old action.
There are two matches scheduled among the open at Malteenoes; Farm Xi will take on Success Enforcers at 13:00h, then Aditya’s XI will do battle from 15:00h.
The tournament is organized by the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. (GSCL Inc.) and has attracted the best softball teams in the country, playing for $100,000 winning prize in the Masters’ category and $50,000 in the Open Category. For the tournament, teams were not required to pay an entrance fee.
