HAVING participated in the first-ever Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA)-organised Guyana Softball Cup last year with minimum success, the New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) All Stars went one step further this time around when they defeated Trophy Stall by eight wickets to take the Open title at the Everest Cricket Club ground last Sunday night.

Despite their loss to the team that is made up of players from various teams who compete in the New York Softball League back in the USA, the members of the Trophy Stall lineup had something to smile about when their pugnacious opener Wasim Haslim was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for the Open category.
Winning the toss and opting to field first, NYSCL vindicated their skipper Eon Ellis’s judgment with some tight bowling that was backed by brilliant fielding to bowl out their opponents for 86 in 18.3 overs, with Surujpaul Deosarran batting through the innings before being the last wicket to fall for a top score of 27.
The inaugural champions of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T)-sponsored nationwide softball tournament were precariously placed on 44 for 7 at the end of the first 10 overs, of which Surujpaul Deosarran was on 11 and losing their wickets through careless running and poor shot selection.
Haslim was given a life on 3 when he was dropped at long on off the bowling of Vicky Subhkarran and even though he paddle-swept the said bowler to the boundary for a four, two balls later, he was inexplicably given out run-out, in the next over, even though he made his ground,
From 17 for 1, Trophy Stall slipped to 37 for 6 and later 42 for 7, losing the wickets of Krishna Deosarran (1), their skipper Fazal Rafeek (0), Navin Singh (2), S. Ramnauth (0) along with Randy Ketwaroo and A. Rooplall who both made 1.
Mark Harold joined Surujpaul Deosarran and they added 30 valuable runs for the eighth wicket, with Harold hitting Asif Ally, who was later named man-of-the-match of the finals, for his lone four and the second of Trophy Stall’s innings, during the partnership.
However, like some of the other batsmen before him, Harold who made 15 to support Surujpaul Deosarran, looked to hit the ball over the top and was caught at long off – a wicket Trophy Stall could not afford to lose at that stage of the game, and matters deteriorated when D. Ramnauth (3) and Deosarran were quickly dismissed.
Ally and Amit Moonsammy took two wickets each for 13 runs while Bobby had 2 for 14 for NYSCL All Stars, who lost Pooran Bera for 9 (2×4) in their reply at 12 for 1, when the batsman was smartly stumped by Ketwaroo off D. Ramnauth.
Ally and Subhkarran added 67 for the second wicket, with the former, who opened the batting with Bera hitting an unbeaten 29 (2×4) while the latter struck three fours and a massive six over midwicket off Rafeek, in his 34, before he was caught by D. Ramnauth at long off, when he looked to hit Harold over the top.
It was the last blow Trophy Stall were allowed to instil on their opponents, who coasted to 87 for 2 from 11.3 overs, to take the top prize of US$4 000 and a trophy back with them – a feat Ellis described as wonderful – taking into consideration their performance in last year’s inaugural tournament.
Trophy Stall had something to shout about, since their female team known as the Trophy Stall Angels eliminated Mike’s Wellwoman via a Super Over contest in their semifinal before they defeated Karibee Rice Strikers, who also defeated 4R Lioness in their semifinal encounter, in the final to take the female exhibition contest.
Trophy Stall Angels received $50 000 and  a trophy for their efforts while their very own teammate Nalini Sumintra was named the player-of-the-match, for which she received $5 000 and a trophy and Karibee Rice Strikers, who hail from Berbice, $25 000 for their second place finish.
At the presentation ceremony that followed, GFSCA president Steve Narine thanked the many sponsors of the tournament for their support, along with the foreign teams and most importantly, the supporters who thronged all the venues to witness this year’s action.
“It is pleasing to see so many persons supporting this tournament. Your support over the past three days has been overwhelming and I am happy to see so many foreign teams competing with us this year, to which I say thank you very much, along with the sponsors who have been there with us once again.”
NYSCL All Stars picked up a trophy and 15 medallions along with their US$4 000 (G$800 000) cash prize, while Trophy Stall received US$1 000 (G$200 000), a trophy and 15 medallions for their second place efforts and  Ally a Wellman’s Hamper and trophy, compliments of Mike’s Pharmacy.
Both Haslim and Kayume Savage Masters XI’s Manja Malone received a 14k gold wrist band for their MVP accolades in the tournament, compliments of Steve’s Jewellery World, while the umpires and all teams who competed in the tournament received medallions.
All trophies were donated by Trophy Stall of Bourda Market and Hadi’s City Mall, while the tournament was sponsored by Trophy Stall, Digicel, Steve’s Jewellery, Clear Waters, Survival, Mike’s Pharmacy, Bel Air Texaco, Nauth Motor Spares, Rohan Auto Spares, Busta and Top Brandz.