TORONTO, Canada — As the countdown intensifies for the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) inaugural Toronto Cup, set to be staged during the Labour Day weekend here, the tournament has attracted sponsorship from, among others, Trophy Stall out of Guyana.Already involved in sponsorship of both hard and softball cricket in Toronto, Trophy Stall is once more spreading its wings in the Toronto Cup.
According to Trophy Stall’s proprietor Ramesh Sunich, he had no hesitation in joining the list of sponsors and towards this end, his entity will be putting up the trophies for the winning and runner-up teams in both the Open and Masters categories as well as the man-of-match prizes.
Sunich, himself a member of the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA), which will be fielding two teams in the competition, disclosed that he’s delighted to be involved in the tournament both as a player and a sponsor and expects the tournament to be highly competitive.
Apart from Trophy Stall, the OMSCC has also been assured of sponsorship from Kawall Narain of Jemetex out of New York who will be taking care of the uniforms for the host team.
In addition, Ray Seecharran, First Class Printing in Toronto, is printing and providing the score sheets for all the teams and is also making available special T-shirts for the officials and volunteers at no cost to the organisers.
The tournament, which will also serve as a dress rehearsal for the fifth edition of the Guyana Softball Cup, set to be staged on September 30, 31 and October 1 in Georgetown, has attracted teams from New York, Guyana and the hosts.
Among the eight set to vie for supremacy in the Masters division are two teams from the GFSCA, New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL). New York Muslim Softball Cricket Association, Our Own Sports Club, Caribbean Sensation and a team from the OMSCC. The latter three are based in Toronto.
The Open category comprises six – NYSCL, New York Enforcers, Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) X1, Caribbean Sensation All Stars, Dant Sports Club and Masters/Cove Sports Club.
The welcoming ceremony will be held at the Tropical Nights Restaurant and Lounge, Morningside Avenue, (at Sheppard), Scarborough, starting at 19.00hrs on Thursday, September 3, setting the stage for the commencement of the tournament the following morning. The final will take place at the University of Toronto ground, Scarborough.
Meanwhile, in her message to the OMSCC, MPP of Pickering-Scarborough East, Tracy MacCharles declared that it was her pleasure to congratulate the OMSCC on the staging of the Toronto Cup.
The text of her message reads: “Over the last 15 years, the OMSCC has grown the sport of softball cricket throughout the province. We are grateful for your contribution to sport. As we celebrate this milestone, we are reminded that through the power of sport people are able to unite together from different languages and cultures for a common interest.
“It is a pleasure to welcome teams from both North and South America to our great province to take part in friendly international competition.”

By Frederick Halley