THE GEORGETOWN Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc.-organised Trophy Stall, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre/Salod Marketing Agency/Star Party Rentals and Mike’s Copy Centre-sponsored tournament is expected to climax tomorrow with the playing-off of the three finals at the Everest Cricket Club ground from 09:30hrs.

In the Male Over-35 category, Park Rangers will face Regal in a 12-overs-a-side contest, Wolf’s Warriors will take on Regal in the Male Open 20/20 final, a game that can best be described as a repeat of last year’s Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company-sponsored 10/10 final, while Aroaima Rusal Warriors of Linden will come up against Regal in the female segment which is a 12-over affair.
The winners in the Over-35 and Female divisions will receive $100 000 each while the Open champion will take home $200 000 and, banking on the excitement softball cricket has been producing over the past year, tomorrow’s matches will be no different.
Skipper Troy Kippins, Chien Gittens, Patrick Rooplall, Mohammed Ayume and Safraz Esau will lead Regal Open’s challenge against Amit Rai, Safraz Karim, Balbinder Shivpersaud and Diaram Persaud of Wolf’s Warriors.
Supporters of the Regal Over-35 squad will be hoping that Mahendra Hardyal, Samuel Kingston, Mahendra Arjune and Lyndon Lyght bring their ‘A’ game to stop the Park Rangers lineup which includes the veteran Ricky ‘Bimby’ Singh, Danny Mohanram and Tony Singh.
The Ladies’ encounter is the perfect foil for a supporting role in the day’s activities and to this extent, Lashanna Toussaint, Nalini Sumintra, Dawn Nichols and Vanessa Choonoo will be looking to turn back the challenge of the Mining Town ladies, whose lineup is unknown.
Meanwhile, in their respective semifinal encounters, Regal XI defeated Speedboat by seven wickets while Wolf Warriors claimed a last-ball thriller over Trophy Stall, coming away with a one-wicket victory to set up tomorrow’s final against Regal XI.
In the Over-35 category, Regal Masters stopped Ogle with a 41-run victory before seeing Park Rangers get by Success Masters by three wickets, with one ball to spare in another exciting encounter.
Batting first, Speedboat were limited to 96 all out, following a good start, as Britvi Motilall, Esau and Kippins pegged things back for their team with three wickets each.
In reply, Regal XI rode on the back of Ricky Sargeant’s unbeaten 43 which was backed by an unbeaten 24 from Gittens to reach 97 for 3 from 7 overs.
In the other semifinal in the Open category, Wolf Warriors asked Trophy Stall to bat first and bowled them out for 110, with Randy Ketwaroo 45 and Ralphman Ally who made an unbeaten 24, being their principal scorers.
Dayanand Persaud snared 4 for 21 for Wolf’s Warriors, who in reply reached 111 for 9 off the final delivery of the 12th over, thanks to Amit Rai’s 28 and Persaud’s unbeaten 21, even as Terry Oxford took 3 wickets and Ketwaroo 2 for 7 for Trophy Stall.
In the Over-35 semifinals, Regal Masters batted first and accumulated 189 for 6 from their 20 overs, with Eric Thomas 60 and Arjune 29, after he failed to trouble the scorers on four consecutive occasions, prior to the semifinal matchup.
S. Persaud claimed 2 for 27 for Ogle, who were bowled out for 148 with one ball to spare, with Wallack Joseph 21 and K. Dindyal 16 being their principal scorers against the bowling of Hardyal, Arjune and Shaheed Mohammed, who all took 3 wickets for 12, 17 and 37 runs respectively.
Park Rangers then faced Success Masters in their semifinal matchup for the Over-35 category and having bowled out their opponents for 152 in 17 overs, replied with 153 for 7 from 19.5 overs.
Meanwhile, the Male nationwide 1212 softball competition will commence on July 6 at the same venue and the Banks DIH/Cloud Nine tournament will start six days later at the beverage manufacturing giant’s Thirst Park-based ground.