REGAL XI’s Patrick Rooplall missed being the second batsman to chalk up a ton in the Georgetown Softball Cricket League’s 12/12 championship, when the action continued with six more matches at the Everest Cricket Club ground last Sunday.

Also in commanding form was national Under-19 opener Shimron Hetmyer, who struck two blazing half-centuries for Memorex XI, who blew past Herstelling XI and Smith XI in both of their matches, to book a place in this Sunday’s semifinals, alongside Speedboat XI, Trophy Stall and Regal XI.
Playing on pitch number two and in his team’s first encounter against Bartica Challengers, Rooplall struck 12 sixes and three fours in his unbeaten 99,which along with Rickey Sargeant unbeaten 33 (4×6, 1×4) and Chien Gittens 19 (3×4), powered Regal XI to 165 for 3 from their 12 overs.
Shastri Mangal took 2 for 37 for Bartica Challengers, who were bundled out for 29 from 5.3 overs, as Tyrone Sanasie 4 for 5 and Safraz Esau with 3 for 10, handed Regal XI the largest margin of victory in the tournament to date.
In their second match against Cotton Field Wild Oats (CFWO) , Bartica Challengers asked their opponents to bat first before limiting them to 111 for 8 off their allotted 12 overs, with Suraj Rajah top-scoring with 54 (5×4, 4×6) while Trevis Simon made 15 (1×6) and Brian Mangar 12 two sixes.
Ravi Seenarine and Ishwar Dass took two wickets each for 25 and 26 runs respectively for Bartica Challengers, who reached 112 for 7 in reply, thanks to Robin Narine’s 41, Roland Persaud 19 and Mangal’s 13, even as Narine returned to take 4 for 20 and Munir Amin 2 for 17 for CFWO.
In their final match of the day against Regal XI, CFWO batted first and reached 111 for 8, with Rovindra Parsram 24 (3×4), Narine 21 (2×4, 1×6) and Simon 17 (1×4, 1×6) leading their batting.
Troy Kippins who took 3 for 29 and Tyrone Sanasie 2 for 24, led Regal XI’s batting, before Esau struck three sixes and the same number of fours in his 45, which was supported by Rooplall’s 28 (2×4, 2×6) that guided their team to their second win as they reached 112 for 4 from 9.5 overs.
On pitch number one, Memorex XI opposed Herstelling XI in their first match and having inserted their opponents to bat first, limited them to 122 for 6 with Omesh Narine 60 (5×6, 5×4) and Budhan Baksh 22 (2×6, 1×4) leading Herstelling XI’s batting.
Vishal Phillips (3 for 12) and Waheid Edwards 2 for 19 led the bowling for Memorex XI< who in reply reached 126 for 2 off 9.4 overs, thanks to Hetmyer’s 72 (6x6, 5x4) and Farouk Hussein’s 29 (3x6, 1x4) even as Ralph Yusuf took both wickets to fall for nine runs.
In their second game, Herstelling XI faced Smith XI and batting first scored 134 for 5, with Hakeem Vickerie 59 (6×6, 1×4), Vickram Shairanta 26 (2×6) and Omesh Narine 25 (3×6, 1×4) leading their batting.
Kiram Kumar (2 for 25) and Omesh Gobin 2 for 26 led Smith XI bowling, before Fazeer Khan 45 (3×6, 4×4), Latchman Rohit 35 (3×6, 1×4) and Ganesh Mangle 22 (2×4, 1×6) powered their team to 136 for 4 from 11.2 overs.
In the final match of the day, Smith XI batted first and scored 138 for 9 from their 12 overs against Memorex XI, with Rohit 28 (2×4, 1×6), C. Etwaroo 25 (2×6, 2×4) and G. Mangar 22 (2×4, 1×6) being their leading batsman as Phillips (3 for 21) and Edwards with 2 for 27 led Memorex XI’s bowling.
Hetmyer then took up the mantle with the bat, hitting 11 sixes and one four in his unbeaten 82, which, along with Phillips’ 27 (2×6, 2×4) and Edwards’ unbeaten 22 (2×6, 2×4), powered their team to 142 for 2 from 8.2 overs and a place in the semis.
The semi-finals and final will be contested this Sunday at the same venue, with the Regal XI taking on Speed Boat XI in one encounter, while in the second semifinal, Memorex will oppose Trophy Stall, with the winners clashing in the grand final for $600 000 and a trophy.
As an added attraction for the hundreds of spectators who are expected to witness the action free of cost, there will be a raffle at $100 a ticket and carries a first prize of one Daewoo double door refrigerator.
The second- to fifth-place prizes for the raffle, which will be drawn on the final day of the tournament, are a three-piece living room suite, 32” LCD Sony Bravia television set, Royal four-burner gas stove and a G-Shock mountain bicycle respectively.
Dilo Enterprise, DC Promotions, Five Star Minerals, El Dorado Trading and Ryan and Reuben Mahadeo (all out of Bartica), Star Party Rentals, Regal Stationery and Computer Supplies, Romain Car Wash, Bank of Baroda, Ravi Sarwan and Trophy Stall are some of the sponsors on board in this tournament.