SOFTBALL fans in the Ancient County of Berbice were last Sunday treated to a day of exciting softball action at the Port Mourant ground, when newly formed Berbice Softball Board (BSB) held its inaugural tournament which was won by Regal XI. They proved to the County why they are truly the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T)-sponsored nationwide 10/10 champions when they defeated the host county by eight wickets in the final, after disposing of their nemesis Wolf Warriors in their semifinal matchup.
Richard Latiff, Chien Gittens and Tyrone Sanasie were the eventual champions’ playmakers of the day, with Latiff and Gittens doing the work with the bat in both of their matches while Sanasie undermined the Berbice Select XI’s batting lineup with the ball in the final.
The day’s activity got under way with host county Berbice taking on a Demerara Select XI in the first semifinal which the former won by 37 runs, having racked up 122 for 5 from their 10 overs and restricting their opponents to 85 for 3 with disciplined bowling and tight fielding.
Devindra Thakurdeen top-scored for Berbice with 40 that included three sixes and two fours, adding 41 for the fourth wicket with Chandrasekhar Arjune who struck two fours and one six in his 22, as they rebuilt their team’s innings.
David Looknauth offered support with his 17, after seeing his side lose the wickets of Balram Samaroo who went without scoring off the second ball of the match and skipper Rajiv Ivan who made 12, both run-out in bizarre fashion.
Samaroo lost his wicket after he attempted a leg bye – which was not permissible – while Ivan turned his back on Thakurdeen’s call for a second run, but failed to make his ground at the non-striker’s end, after Thakurdeen ran past him.
When Demerara began their reply, they lost early wickets to the bowling of Arjune who returned to take 2 for 10 with the ball and even though Jagdesh Deosarran made 30 (2×4, 1×6) and Safraz Esau 24 (1×6, 1×4), they were way off the target when the contest ended.
Regal XI and Wolf Warriors met in the GT&T final earlier this year, with the latter being the defending champions at the time, while the former were contesting their first final of the competition, after they failed to make the final four on two previous occasions.
As they did then, Regal XI restricted Wolf Warriors batting lineup to 76 for 8 with Diaram Persaud 14 and Mohammed Riaaz Karim and Madanlall Narine 13 offering support, with Karim hitting two sixes in his innings, while Narine struck one six and one four.
Both Sanasie and Mohammed Ayume took two wickets each for 10 and 11 runs respectively for Regal, who said thank you to Latiff 39 (3×6, 1×4) and Patrick Rooplall 24 (2×6), both unbeaten innings, as they ended on 77 for 2 from 7.3 overs, to reach the final.
Following the intermission in which patrons, who thronged the venue by the thousands, were entertained by Granny Ivelaw and her dancing girls, Regal XI and the home team took the field to contest the final, where the winners were guaranteed a trophy and $200 000.
Regal won the toss and invited their opponents to take first strike and thanks to Sanasie’s bowling, which saw him pick up 3 for 6 and Ricky Sergeant’s 2 for 18, limited the home team to 75 for 7, of which Thakurdeen top-scored with 28 (2×4, 1×6) and Sharmindra Hardyal made an unbeaten 27 with two sixes.
Gittens and Latiff added an unbroken 67-run third-wicket partnership, as Regal XI ended on 76 for 2 from 7.2 overs, with Gittens hitting 38 (2×6, 2×4) and Latiff 32 (4×6, 1×4), to steer their team home comfortably.
At the simple presentation ceremony that followed, all the teams were congratulated on their performances for the day, before Latiff and Thakurdeen received trophies for their batting performances in the semifinals.
Regal XI’s Gittens and Sanasie were adjudged the best batsman and bowler of the final respectively, Berbice received the runners-up trophy and the Berbice Select Female XI the cash prize of $50 000 after being awarded their match via a walkover, following the no-show of Trophy Stall Angels.