… cart off Norman Sue Bakery consolation title

By Frederick Halley

TORONTO, Canada — A mere two years after joining the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) and an unforgettable debut season when they failed to make any significant impression in the Conference B, GTA Storm have made quite a turnaround in 2016.Still unbeaten in the regular season (20 overs) after 10 games out of the allotted 12, GTA Storm held off a stiff challenge from Enterprise to capture the Norman Sue Bakery-sponsored 15-over Consolation final at the Ashtonbee number two ground last Saturday.

Of much significance was the fact that both teams were unbeaten in the 20-over (Conference B) competition, GTA Storm with nine wins and Enterprise 10 prior to last Saturday’s final.
It was therefore quite fitting that the winners were not decided until the final delivery of the match, with Enterprise needing six to clinch victory in quest of a challenging 123. That feat, however, eluded Enterprise as Seenarine Singh, in attempting to clear the boundary, was brilliantly caught by Nirad Lall on the deep midwicket boundary for 30, sparking wild celebrations among the GTA players and supporters.
The unsung hero in the final was Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) player Winston Forrester. Known more for his batting as an opener for GTA Storm, Forrester was given the task of bowling at 13th and last over of the 15-over affair and responded admirably.
After grabbing a wicket in his first over and also limiting the scoring rate, Forrester was asked to defend eight runs in the last over. Six were needed off the last and the rest is now history. He finished with an impressive two for 14 and duly earned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for his team.
The strong Enterprise outfit, competing in their first season, were always in the hunt for the title with MVP Narine and Neil Singh (20) both hitting two sixes respectively – extras contributed a healthy 28 – but they failed to get over the line in the final over.
Earlier, GTA Storm, asked to take first strike, reached 122 for nine in their allotted 15 overs with Nishal Singh 21 (one six and a four) and Loakram Singh 18 (two sixes) being the principal scorers while extras, again in the limelight, totalled 37.
Apart from Forrester, two other players from Guyana, Shiv Shiwram (GCC) and Abdul Razack Salim (McGill Superstars) formed part of the GTA Storm squad.
Speaking with Chronicle Sport, after the final, an elated Nirad Lall, who serves as the marketing director of the team, disclosed that he’s confident that GTA Storm will also emerge winners of the 20-over tournament and challenged for the Champion of Champions trophy.
GTA Storm and Enterprise are scheduled to clash in the final round of the 20-over tournament with both teams already assured of a playoff place.