DIRECTOR of Sport within the National Sports Commission (NSC), Neil Kumar, last Wednesday afternoon challenged the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc., to gear itself for a massive Independence Cup Softball tournament in two years’ time.

Kumar was at the time, delivering brief remarks at the launching of the GSCL Inc. inaugural Independence Cup which is being staged in collaboration with the NSC and bowls off at three different venues tomorrow, with the grand final being held at the Everest Cricket Club ground next Monday.
“I am very pleased to be here with you this afternoon, not because I wish to grace you with my presence, but because I recognise this tournament, due to the fact that the GSCL Inc. has persons with great integrity.
“I want to tell you that I have already initiated with the diaspora in Canada and the United States of America for us to have an extremely big and popular softball tournament in 2016, which will be a very historic year for all Guyanese,” said Kumar.
He informed his audience, which also included GSCL Inc. vice-president Ian John, that during that year while many would be focusing on the Olympic Games in neighbouring Brazil, Guyana will be observing its 50th Anniversary as an Independent nation.
“As you are aware, Brazil will be hosting the FIFA World Cup finals this year and the Olympic Games in 2016, but your GSCL Inc. will be hosting an Independence Cup which will be a significant one, coinciding with Guyana celebrating its 50th Anniversary and as such I have made arrangements for us to have a home and away game with teams from Canada and the USA.
“In fact, I wish to challenge the ladies, to fight for us to take a female team to both Canada and the USA to play the games, for you also have an integral part to play in the development of the game here in Guyana, for which I am pleased to see the GSCL Inc., inviting female teams to compete in this Independence Cup and doing so freely,” said Kumar.
He wished all the teams best of luck in the three-day tournament, while in response to a request made by John during his welcome remarks, in which he asked for the game to be introduced in the schools, Kumar said he will ask the personnel to have such implemented, while saying they can share their synergies.
He reminded the GSCL Inc. of his unflinching support towards their developmental plans, even as he expressed a positive attitude towards the hosting of the Independence Cup tournament in 2016, adding that he is sure of sponsors coming on board to give of their support as well.
Meanwhile, the drawing was made after the launching, which saw Trophy Stall, Farm XI, Smith XI and Regal XI being placed in Group A, while Speed Boat, Wolf Warriors, Karibee Boys and Memorex will do battle out of Group B for a place in the final where they will do battle for the first prize of $500 000 in the T20 competition.
In the female category which will be a 10/10 affair, Karibee Girls, Trophy Stall Angels and 4R Lioness will meet in Group A, even as Regal Champs, Lady Jags and Mike’s Wellwoman battle out of Group B, for a place in the final, for which a first prize of $50 000 is up for grabs.
Six teams namely Parika Defenders, Frontline Masters, Regal Masters, Enterprise Legends, Floodlight Masters and Industry Super Kings will be doing battle in the Masters Over-40 Category, which like the Male Open will be a T20 affair, with the first three teams being placed in Group A while the other three will compete out of Group B.
For the drawing, in the Male Open category, Regal XI will oppose Smith XI even as Trophy Stall battle with Farm XI in the first round out of Group A, with Karibee Boys taking on Memorex and Speed Boat meeting Wolf Warriors in the Group B first round fixture.
In the Masters category, Regal Masters and Parika Defenders will meet in the first game, with the winners taking a break while the losers face Frontline Masters in the second game, followed by Frontline Masters and the winners of the first game meeting in the third game for Group A.
In Group B, Floodlight Masters will take on Industry Super Kings in the first game, with the losers and winners meeting Enterprise Legends in that team’s next two games.
Apart from the first- and second-placed prizes, up for grabs also will be two three-piece living room suites for the Man-of-the-Series in the Male Open and Masters categories while the Female Player-of-the-Series will walk away with a trophy.
Male Open and Masters matches will be played at the St Stanislaus and Everest grounds respectively, while the females will be doing battle at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) ground, with all preliminary round matches being played tomorrow and Sunday, leading to the three finals on Monday.

(By Calvin Roberts)