Regal reign ends, Floodlights back to winning ways
GFSCA/ Guyana Softball Cup 6
– Speed Boat, Regal All-Stars battle for Open title
Richard Latiff and Navin Singh began the run chase in a positive fashion to set up the victory
Regal Masters will not defend their Guyana Softball Cup title after they were knocked out at the semi-final stage of Guyana Softball Cup 6 yesterday at the Eve Leary ground.
After playing unbeaten in Group A, Regal Masters were dismissed for an inadequate 84 to which Fisherman’s XI replied with 86/6 from 12 overs to qualify for their first final with a four wicket victory. Jagdish Persaud who scored two centuries on the opening day picked up 3 for 10 and Stanley Mohabir 2 for 4 to flatten the champs. Baldeo Persaud then blast 47 to guide the first time finalist home. Laurie Singh tried his utmost with 3 for 15 bowling for Regal Champs.
The unbeaten Fisherman’s XI will now meet former champions and last year losing finalist, Floodlights Masters in the final today at 12:00h at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground.
Floodlights beat New York President’s XI (NYPXI) by nine wickets after being set 137 to win at DCC. Floodlights were lead by Ramesh Narine and Rickey Deonarain with 59 not out and 46 not out respectively after losing Uniss Yusuf early in the run chase.
NYPXI were restricted to 136 for 6 from their 20 overs with Danny Persaud making 31 and Devendra Mohabir 22. Clyde Canterbury took 1 for 17 from his four overs.
In the Open category, Speed Boat rocked to a convincing nine victory over Ariel XI in the first semifinal. Ariel XI took first strike and were limited to 113 for 8 from 15 overs with Devendra Narine scraping 14. Shazim Hussein (2 for 7) and Travis Drakes (2 for 31) were the chief wreckers. In the run chase, Speed Boat sped away to 114 for 1 from 9.2 overs. Lennox Marks powered his way to 57 while Sarfraz Karim chippe din with 33. Devendra Narine came back with the ball to claim 1 for 28.
In the final semifinal of the day, defending champions Regal All-Stars hardly worked up a sweat in dumping last year’s finalist New York Enforcers by eight wickets under the lights at DCC.
Enforcers batted first and were bowled out for 104 with Azad Azeez and Andrew Gonsalves making 14 each. The champions bowled very good with Martin Dutchin picking up 4 for 29, Delroy Perreira 2 for 17, Tyrone Sanasie 2 for 21 and Sewchand Budhu 2 for 23 delivering the goods.
Budhu came back with the bat to score a quick 27 not out to see his team to their second consecutive final. Navin Singh, who opened the innings with Richard Latiff steadied the innings with a busy half century to end on 57 not out.
The defending champs will take on Speed Boat whom they beat in the recent Wolf Challenge Cup a few weeks ago at the same venue. The winning team will get a whopping $800,000 and a trophy.
The Most Valuable Player in both categories will get a diamond studded gold pendant shaped like a cricket bat from Steve’s Jewellery while the Masters finalists will be competing for $600,000.
The finals day will begin with four female teams in two semifinals from 10:00h. that will be followed by the Masters final then the female final while the Open final will bring the curtains down on the annual tournament.
