THE TIME was 23:42hrs on a breezy Sunday night at the Everest Cricket Club ground, when Man-of-the-Match Safraz Karim of Wolf Warriors held a catch at mid-off to dismiss Trophy Stall’s Nansham Boodhoo, handing his team the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. Republic Cup and the $600 000 first prize.Earlier in the day, Regal Masters, who had within their lineup former Guyana and West Indies off-spinner and Chairman of Selectors of the West Indies Cricket Board, Clyde Butts, within their lineup, defeated Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association Masters lineup by 22 runs to take that title.
However, it was the final of the Open category, which saw a continued rivalry between the first two champions of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company nationwide 10/10 tournament, which brought the fair-size crowd to the boundary line.
Winning the toss and opting to field first, Trophy Stall reduced their opponents 24 for 3 inside the first three overs, sending back Mohammed Karim (6), the dangerous Amit Rai (4) and Diyaram Ramnauth (2), before Azad Azeez (8) and Davenand Persaud (9) pushed the score to 43 for 4.
After Azeez was bowled by Boodhoo, Persaud and Safraz Karim (38) pushed it to 68, following which Vishnu Tamenchandra and Karim took the score to 116 with their 48-run sixth-wicket partnership. Tamenchandra hit Shailendra Ramnauth for 4, 4, 6 and 6 in one over, posting the 100 for his team with the second four.
After Tamenchandra was dismissed, Safraz Karim with the aid of 51 extras which included 43 wides carried Wolf Warriors to 153 for 7 from their 20 overs, against the bowling of Mark Dutchin, 2 for 29, while there was a wicket each for Shailendra Ramnauth, Sewchand Boodhoo, Fazal Rafiek and Nansham Boodhoo.
In their reply which was done in the face of some disciplined bowling from Wolf Warriors, Trophy Stall who defeated the same opponent by nine wickets to take the GFSCA ‘Guyana Cup 11’ at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground last November, lost Rafiek (4) in the first over.
They went on to lose the wickets of Wasim Haslim (6), Kumar Bishundial (4) and skipper Randy Ketwaroo (11), to be 42 for 4 in the 8th over, with all four batsmen being dismissed in their attempt to play the sweep shot.
Sachin Singh (11) and Ravindra Ramnauth (6) pushed the score to 56 for 5, before both Singh and Ramnauth were dismissed, thanks to two magnificent catches from Safraz Karim and his brother Mohamed Karim in the 10th over.
Dutchin threw his bat, hitting three fours and a six in his 19, which together with Shailendra Ramnauth’s topscore of 20 (1×4, 1×6), brought some life and hope back to Trophy Stall’s innings, but needing 14 off the final over, they only got half of that as they were dismissed for 146 from 19.3 overs.
Persaud and Ameer Nizamudin took 3 wickets each for 26 and 29 runs respectively while Davenand Singh had 2 for 22 in the Trophy Stall’s innings, which saw Wolf Warriors send down 47 scoreless deliveries on their way to victory.
In the Masters category, Regal Masters batted first and posted 163 for 5 from their 20 overs, thanks to Man-of-the-Match Mahendra Arjune’s unbeaten 78 (6×4, 3×6), 33 from Eric Thomas and an unbeaten 23 from Mahase Chunilall, who added 112 for the fifth wicket with Arjune, piloting Regal Masters from 34 for 4 to 146.
Diaram Persaud took 2 for 18 for Floodlight Masters, who in reply were limited to 141 for 7 from their 20 overs, despite an even 50 from Randy Khellawan who struck six fours and one six, 40 from Wayne Jones that was decorated with four fours and 13 from Patrick Khan.
Jones and Khellawan shared a partnership of 58 for the fifth wicket, moving Floodlight Masters from 78 for 4 to 136, but the bowling of Troy Kippins who snared 4 for 16, along with a wicket each for Butts and David Harper, ensured Regal Masters walked away with the $500 000 top prize and trophy, while Floodlight received $200 000 and a trophy.
At the presentation ceremony which followed immediately after the Open final, Rai and Regal Champs’ Richard Latiff received a trophy each being adjudged Best Batsman and Bowler respectively. Rai was named the Man-of-the-Series for which he received a three- piece living room suite.
Trophy Stall pocketed $200 000 and a trophy for their runner-up position while Wolf Warriors received $600 000, 15 medallions and a trophy.
In the Masters Category, Ramesh Narine was named Man-of-the-Series (living room suite), Rafiek Ali and Arjune Best Bowler and Batsman respectively, while Arjune was named the Man-of-the-Match and his team took home 15 medallions and a trophy for their win.
Written By Calvin Roberts