High stakes in Essequibo as Lotto/Let’s Bet T10 battles begin today

The battle lines are drawn and the stakes could not be higher as the Essequibo Zone of the Lotto/Let’s Bet One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast officially ignites today.
A powerhouse field of 16 teams is set to clash for zonal glory, all fighting for a prized ticket to the national grand finale.
With rosters featuring an explosive blend of current and former national stars alongside the region’s sharpest junior tapeball specialists, edge-of-the-seat drama is guaranteed from the opening ball.
Co-organiser John Ramsingh highlighted the surging level of play as the tournament expands its footprint across Guyana. “The standard of cricket we have witnessed throughout this tournament has been extraordinary, and the Essequibo squads are as stacked as any we’ve seen,” Ramsingh noted.
He added that combining seasoned national caps with hungry young talent under the floodlights at Anna Regina will create an electric atmosphere for the fans.
This leg follows two pulsating regional qualifiers that set a sky-high benchmark. Grillmaster Sip N Play All-Stars dominated the Berbice Zone to become the first team to lock down a spot in the national draw. Over in the East Bank/West Demerara leg, Mahdia (Movements Family) pulled off a dramatic, high-scoring heist at Meten-Meer-Zorg, dethroning 2025 champions Eccles All-Stars.
Attention now shifts west for a bumper weekend of action starting today, Saturday, August 22. Opening-round action bursts into life at 10:30h across four grounds – Pomona, Affiance, Hampton Court, and the Anna Regina National Stadium.
Blockbuster early fixtures feature Aurora Knight Riders taking on GT Warriors at Pomona, while Riverstown collide with Fibreglass Gladiators at Affiance, leading directly into high-octane knockout quarter-finals in the afternoon.
On Sunday, August 23, the entire spectacle moves exclusively under lights at Anna Regina.
Back-to-back semi-finals bowl off at 14:30h and 16:30h, followed by a marquee exhibition match between Trophy Stall Jaguars and Trophy Stall Eagles at 18:30h.
The grand zonal final takes centre stage at 20:00h to determine who wears the Essequibo crown.
Substantial rewards are up for grabs. Shawn’s Mini Mart is backing the leg with a $500,000 winners’ purse, Jaigobin Hotel has provided the $200,000 runners-up cheque, and Scoop Ride Inc will ensure all losing quarter-finalists pocket $25,000.
Once the Essequibo champions join Grillmaster and Mahdia in the grand finale, the tournament will briefly pause for the closing stretch of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Action resumes on September 26 with the Georgetown/East Coast Demerara Zone before all roads lead back to Anna Regina for the national grand finale on October 11.