HAVING lost the inaugural international softball match against Guyana at the Guyana National Stadium last Saturday by 48 runs, Canada’s national softball cricket team will be embarking on a series of matches against several teams in Guyana before their departure. Today they travel to Berbice to take on a Berbice Select XI from 10:00hrs, at the Port Mourant ground, having played against an Essequibo Select XI yesterday. All the matches are an initiative of the Guyana Softball League (GSL).
With the aim of having their best team on the field for this encounter, the Berbicians, under the guidance of Randolph Latcha, held a trial game yesterday, from which their squad would have been selected.
According to a GSL press release, areas will have the chance to test their mettle against the international teams from time to time and players were shortlisted from the just concluded Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T)-sponsored 10/10 tournament.
While the Ancient County team is not known, the Canadians will be banking on Troy Gonsalves and Ejaz Mohamed in the batting department, with support from skipper Mitch Bacchus in both the batting and bowling departments, to upset the Berbicians.
The matches will be preceded by a female encounter between Karibee Girls and Peter Lewis Albion Tigers, while the Canadians will also be up against an All Star XI which includes Troy Kippins the skipper of Regal, Balram Balgobin; Jonathan Foo, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Devendra Bishoo and several others.
Universal Solutions Tigers will also feature against Karibee Boyz in a battle for bragging rights and the day’s matches will be sponsored by Nand Persaud, Peter Lewis Construction and the Regional Democratic Council whose Chairman is expected to declare the day’s activities open.
Following today’s fixture, the Canadians will take on an East Bank XI and a Georgetown XI tomorrow, while on Saturday they will face dethroned GT&T 10/10 champions Wolf Warriors at Cornelia Ida.
They wing out on Monday after this busy schedule to continue a tournament in Canada with their various club teams.