GFSCA Masters set to defend title in Independence Cup

By Frederick Halley
DEFENDING Legends Cup champions Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) Masters are among five teams from Guyana vying for supremacy when the New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) stages its 12th annual Independence and Legends Cup tournaments from July 1-3.Among the venues to be used for the Independence Cup are 150 & Rockaway and Roy Wilkins Park, Queens, New York and Canarsie Park in Brooklyn. Roy Wilkins will host both finals on Sunday, July 3.
The USA Independence weekend tournaments feature teams from the hosts, Guyana, Canada and Florida.
The GFSCA will also field another side, GFSCA Legends, in what is expected to once again be a highly competitive Legends Cup with Regal Masters being the other Guyanese team among the mix.
The Independence Cup will see Regal All Stars and Wolf Warriors All Stars in the race for championship honours.
In last year’s two finals, Mercenaries got past NYSCL All Stars, while GFSCA defeated GSCL in a close encounter with Berbician Gordial Mattai playing a decisive role with the bat.
However, Mercenaries are not down to defend their title this year, since most of the players will be donning colours for Regal All Stars instead.
According to the organisers, all systems are in place for successful staging of the tournament with 10 teams slated to participate in the Independence Cup and 14 in the Legends Cup.
The Independence Cup will be played in two groups, while the Legends Cup comprises three. The latter is however subject to change in the event there’s an increase in the number of teams.
Teams will be allowed to name their 15-man roster at the orientation meeting, set for Thursday, prior to the start of the tournament the following day. That meeting commences at 7.30 pm at Johnny’s Restaurant & Bar, 107-10 Rockaway Boulevard.
A new feature of this year’s tournament is the introduction of a power-play, which will see fielding restrictions during a five-over segment of play.
The winning team in the Independence Cup will cart off a trophy (Eagle) and $4000(US), while the runners-up are guaranteed a trophy. All 15 players in the winning squad will also be awarded medals.
At stake for the Legends Cup winners are $3000(US), a trophy (Eagle) and 15 medals for the squad, while the runners-up will get a trophy.
The individual awards and prizes for both categories include: Most runs in the tournament, highest individual score, most wickets, best bowling in a match, fastest 50 score in the final, man-of-the-match in the final, prize for scoring a century, prize for taking a hat-trick while the Most Valuable Player of the tournament in the Independence Cup will take home 500(US) and the MVP in the Legends Cup 300(US).
Teams listed to participate to date – Independence Cup (10 teams): New York Reapers, New York Enforcers, NYSCL All-Stars, New York Cricket Doctors, Shattaz All-Stars, Regal All-Stars, Wolf Warriors All-Stars, Queens All-Stars, New York Dream Team, Waves Enforcers.
Legends Cup (14 Teams): Tristate Masters, NYSCL Legends (#1) NYSCL Legends (#2), Regal Masters, Guyana Floodlight Masters, Guyana Floodlight Legends, Brooklyn/Queens Legends, OSCL Masters, Ontario Masters, OMSI Masters, Albion Masters, New York President’s XI, Seaview Masters and New York Muslims.