TORONTO, Canada – Our Own Sports Club made it three wins in a row while first-timers Wakenaam had a successful debut when the first and second division Over-40 finals of the Ontario Masters Softball League (OMSL) were contested last Sunday at Littles ground, Scarborough here on Sunday.

Playing before a bumper Sunday afternoon crowd and in a festive atmosphere after early morning showers had threatened to derail the much-anticipated clashes, fans were treated to two entertaining encounters despite both being low-scoring affairs.
In a repeat of the finals for the last two years, Our Own once again got the better of Guyana Sports Club (GSC), winning by four wickets while Wakenaam registered a five-wicket victory over Essequibo Cricket Club.

Winning the toss and opting to take first strike, GSC were off to a disastrous start, losing the wicket of Richard Driffield to the first ball of the innings after seasoned campaigner and the league’s most economical bowler Mahendranauth ‘Bobby’ Parasnauth knocked back his middle stump.
It was soon 14 for 2, with Parasnauth again in the action, uprooting the stumps of Jito Narine (four). Worse was to come for GSC, as they lost the prized wicket of former Guyana all-rounder Sunil Dhaniram (six), comprehensively bowled by Troy Gobin, whose first over went for nine.
Top scorer Ray Moosaie added some impetus to the innings with a fine knock of 25 which included a six and three fours but failed to beat a direct throw from former Canadian national Desmond Cholmondeley as GSC slipped further into trouble at 46 for four in the 12th over.
Three further run-outs, one of them resulting from another spectacular throw from Jaimini Singh, did little to help GSC’s cause as they ended on what seemed an insufficient 89 all out at the expiration of their 20 overs. The wily Parasnauth finished with two for 12 and Gobin two for 16 from their allotted three overs.
Our Own’s reply was almost identical to GSC’s as Jaimini Singh, the former Essequibo all-rounder, succumbed to the second ball of the innings for a duck, skying a catch to deep midwicket after Orin O’Neil had taken a single off the first ball.
It was soon two for two as Fazal Shakoor held a stunning caught-and-bowled chance to send O’Neil packing before Gobin and Shivnauth Seeram, who both represented Guyana at the Under-19 level, steadied the innings with an array of attacking and at times defensive batting.
Seeram departed for a quick-fire 23 which included two towering sixes and with the demise of Cholmendeley for a first-ball duck, Our Own were shakily placed at 37 for four in the eighth over.
Skipper Parasnauth, with a calm head, however, joined Gobin, the two adding an invaluable 21 for the fifth wicket and by the time the former departed for 13, 20 runs were still needed for victory. Gobin, who was later named MVP for the winning team, followed with 13 adrift of the winning target, his fine 33 laced with two fours and a six.
The seventh-wicket pair of Jesh Parasnauth and Mohan Singh ensured no further alarms as victory was achieved in 18.3 overs much to the delight of Our Own supporters. Shakoor, who had caused the early damage, finished with the impressive figures of four for nine.
In the second division encounter, Wakenaam created quite a storm by becoming the first side to gain championship honours in the initial attempt, turning back the challenge of Essequibo Cricket Club in a clash of teams from the Ancient County.
Chasing 89 for victory, after Essequibo were limited to 88 for nine in their allotted 20 overs, Wakenaam were in a spot of bother at 40 for five in the ninth over before Chintaram Ramroop (28 not out) and Muntaz Hamid with an unbeaten 27 sealed the deal with an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 50. Jeetendra Harrilall (two for 10) and Omar Shamshudeen (two for 16) were Essequibo’s best bowlers.
Earlier, Essequibo were indebted to 28 not out from Anand Sukhdeo and 21 from captain Pradeep Gopiechand as Ahmad Bashir (three for nine), Ivan Narine (two for seven), Muneshwar Monasar (two for 10) and Hazaar Abdool (two for 15) shared the bowling honours.
The championship victory by Our Own marked their third consecutive and their 45th on the trot over the last three years, prompting skipper Parasnauth to express his delight over his team’s performance and to praise the efforts of the sponsors and many supporters over the years. He also had kind words for the league for its brilliant organising abilities.
At an impressive presentation ceremony, which followed and was presided over by OMSL president Jai Singh, players from all four participating teams were recipients of medals while the MVPs, runner-up teams and winners collected trophies. The league’s presentation dinner and dance is set for October 18 next.

(By Frederick Halley)