OSCL Jaguars cart off winning softball trophy

By Frederick Halley
TORONTO, Canada – Jaguars emerged winners of the 2017 Guyana Independence Festival softball tournament, organised by the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) and the Guyana Consulate, played last Saturday at Littles Playing Lield, Scarborough.
The eventual winners, who started as firm favourites to win the title, were however made to fight every inch of the way as underdogs, Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Club (OMSCC) put in a dogged performance in a low-scoring affair.

Set a modest 62 for victory, after limiting the OMSCC X1 to 61 for five in the allotted 10 overs, the OSCL Jaguars huffed and puffed their way to 62 for three with a mere three deliveries remaining.
Openers Sheik Khan (23) and Reyaz Prahalad (19) gave the Jaguars a solid but somewhat slow start with the left-handed Khan slamming two sixes and a four while Prahalad counted two sixes in his knock.

Earlier, OMSCC started ominously as they raced to 42 for one in the first five overs, but their hopes of achieving a huge total slipped in the remaining five overs as they only added a further 19 runs while losing four further wickets.
Zakir Khan and his Caribbean Sensation teammate Anil Samuel not only restricted the middle-order but claimed two wickets each. Khan claimed two for 10 from his two overs while Samuels grabbed two wickets for one run in his lone over.
OMSCC earned the right to reach OSCL Jaguars with a crushing eight-wicket victory over OSCL Kaieteur.

Needing 70 for victory after OSCL Kaieteur were left high and dry at 69 for nine in 10 overs, OMSCC reached the required target in 9.2 overs, losing two wickets in the process. Openers, G. Budhram and Yunis Usuf gave the winners a rousing start with Budhram (27) slamming a six and a four. Ravendra Persaud (one for six) and Sheldon Burnett (one for 11) claimed the two wickets to fall.
OSCL were off to a horrendous start, losing their first four wickets with just seven runs on the board, before Burnett with a quickfire 28 with two sixes and a four and Khemraj (19) brought some respectability to the score.

Surendra Beepat (three for 18), Devin Shivrattan (two for 16) and Usuf (two for 11) were the chief destroyers for OMSCC.
At the presentation ceremony which followed, Zakir Khan was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the winning team, earning a return ticket to Guyana, compliments of Caribbean Airlines. He was also the recipient of another trophy and a gift from the Consulate. Usuf took the MVP for the losing team and also received a trophy and another gift.

Apart from taking away trophies, all members of the winning and losing teams as well as umpires and officials were presented with medals.
Meanwhile, in a Soccer game played, after battling to an exciting 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time, Guyana All Stars outshot Ghetto Youth United 5-4 on penalty kicks to emerge winners of the soccer tournament, organized by Mark Fanfair. Former Guyana national player Konata Mannings excelled for the victorious team, thereby claiming the Most Valuable Player (MVP) prize.

Dexter Chichester received the Caribbean Airlines prize of a return ticket to Guyana for his outstanding contribution to soccer in the Guyanese community.
Consul General (acting) Candida Daniels, in greeting the teams and officials before the start of proceedings, urged all to enjoy the day in full Guyanese style while Consul Mishelle Butters, who was also present throughout, assisted in the distribution of the prizes.
The day’s events were also witnessed by former Consul General Sattie Sawh and former Guyana government minister, Edith Bynoe, among others.