… set sights on upcoming Guyana Softball Cup

TORONTO, Canada – Dant geared up for the Guyana Softball Cup with a hard-fought four-run victory over East Coast when the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) climaxed at the Ashtonbee ground in Scarborough here on Sunday.

The win not only ensured that Dant were crowned grand champions but also saw them set an unprecedented record, achieving four titles in one season. What was more significant, it was also the first year they were competing under the OSCL banner.
Set a modest 118 for victory after inserting and limiting East Coast to an inadequate 117 for seven, Dant reached 118 for five with seven deliveries remaining and their players and supporters celebrated wildly.
Seemingly playing to a plan and determined to preserve their wickets for a late charge, seasoned openers Muniram Karran (32) abd Shawn Deonandan made a somewhat subdued start before the latter was bowled by Rakesh Dyal.
East Coast fought back gallantly, limiting the scoring somewhat and the game seemed heading for a nail-biting finish as Dant slipped to 87 for five in the 15th over.
However, the hard-hitting Riaz Kadir with two massive sixes in 13 and Aftab Shamshudeen (11) avoided any further alarms with an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 31. Dyal, who is credited with taking a hat-trick against Rems during the playoffs, finished with two for 17 while Andy Persaud captured two for 25.
Earlier, East Coast were indebted to a fine third-wicket partnership of 85 from Surujpaul Deosarran (43) and Dyal after slipping to 11 for two in the third over, in the process losing the prized scalp of former Guyana Under-19 batsman Krishna Deosarran (three).
Surujpaul, who struck a solitary six and a four and Dyal with 23 (three fours) seemed prepared to set their opponents a total in the vicinity of 140 but once the partnership ended in the 17th over, they lost an additional four wickets for just 20 runs.
Bholanauth Sukhu was Dant’s best bowler with three for 30 from his four overs while Shamshudeen (one for 11) and Satrohan Balkarran (one for 21) lent valuable support.
Surujpaul Deosarran and Shamshudeen were voted the respective Most Valuable Players for their teams.
Dant also had to pull out all the stops the previous day to emerge winners of the East Division while East Coast got past Caribbean Sensation in another tight encounter to cart off the East End title.
After taking first strike and being limited to 123 for six in their allotted 20 overs, Dant came back to restrict Masters to 119 for eight with former Guyana Under-19 player and skipper Troy Gobin leading the way with a fine 38.
Balkarran took two for 10, Shamshudeen two for nine and Muniram Ramdial two for 33.
Opener Karran was again among the runs with 40 while Farouk Hussain (22), Shamshudeen (21) and skipper Yadram Bhoj (16) made vital contributions. Imtiaz Ali claimed two for 12 and was later named MVP for the losing team while Shamshudeen took the honours for Dant.
Led by a brilliant 71 from Krishna Deosarran, East Coast totalled 136 for seven in their allotted 20 overs with MVP Anand Balwant picking up three for 16 from four overs.
Caribbean Sensation in reply, stuttered to 128 for six in 20 overs to go down by eight runs. Anil Samuel top-scored with 28 while Dyal took three for 28 and Andy Persaud two for 26. Deosarran was East Coast’s MVP.
The victory also marked East Coast’s third consecutive in the East division.
At the presentation ceremony which followed, president of the OSCL Albert Ramcharran had warm praise for the teams pointing out that they had displayed a high degree of discipline.
Dant are set to compete in the upcoming Guyana Softball Cup, due to be played towards the end of October in Guyana.

(By Frederick Halley)