Playing in sunny conditions at the Everest Cricket Ground on Sunday, the finals of the Ink Plus, Crown Mining Supplies and Elegance Jewellery & Pawn Shop T20 Masters Softball Cricket tournament saw Regal Masters defeat RR Masters by 27 runs to clinch the title.
The newly crowned champions, Regal Masters
Regal, sent in to bat on a hard pitch and sluggish outfield, saw Guyana’s former First Class player David Harper played a stroke filled innings of 48, which included 5 fours and 1 six; while Mahendra Arjune hit a watchful innings of 41 in his 76 run partnership with Harper.
The only batsman to hit double figures was Erick Thomas, who made 12 as Regal climbed to 134-7. Troy Kippins (8) and Eon Abel (1) were quickly removed by Dharam Persaud, while Raymond Harper removed Mahase Chunilall (8) to leave the powerful Regal Masters in a slump at 18-3.
Then came the partnership, as Harper and Arjune unified and played a smart and controlled innings, before the latter fell to Rudolph Mayers, leaving Regal at 94-4. RR Masters was led with the ball by Raymond Harper, who took 3-26, and Dharam Persaud, who supported with 2-23.
Later on in the innings, RR Masters were sent in to bat, needing to score at 6.75 per over for an upset win; but they could only muster 108, with Arjune claiming 3-5 in his only over of the game. Scoring for the Masters were Khemchan Dindyal, who counter-attacked with a pugnacious 54 before he was forced to retire hurt.
He added 58 with the left-handed Suri Kumar, who struggled to get the ball off the square in his quiet 17, as he soaked up 22 dot balls. In his innings of 54, Dindyal kept hopes alive by targeting Parasaram ‘Bimbly’ Persaud, destroying him by taking 20 from the over before he retired. When Arjune dismissed Kumar at 83-3, it triggered a dramatic collapse, and five wickets tumbled for six runs. Not long after, Regal Masters were crowned the new champions.
Twelve teams competed in the tournament which carried a top prize of $100,000, while the runners-up won a trophy and $25,000.
