…Open category to be contested under lights

By Frederick Halley

FOLLOWING the introduction of the Over-50 category in all of the other international tournaments, Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) will follow suit when it stages the third annual Prime Minister’s T20 softball extravaganza during the first weekend in November.

Another unprecedented first will see the Open category played under lights on Sunday, November 3, at Everest Cricket Club ground, Camp Road, Georgetown.

The Over-50 category, which started as a tryout in Canada in 2017 during the second edition of the Toronto Cup and has gained in popularity ever since, is being added to the Open and Over-45 divisions.

In order to get local teams in tune and in top gear for the inaugural staging, the GSCL’s first-ever Over-50 competition is set to get underway shortly at several venues across Georgetown and its environs and, according to its president Ian John, the tournament will be played on a round-robin basis.

Participating teams will be afforded free entrance with several trophies up for grabs and among the venues listed are Everest, GNIC and GYO.

Meanwhile, John also indicated that several overseas teams from the USA and Canada have already signalled their intention to participate in the Prime Minister’s T20 Cup. He is, therefore, urging local teams to secure their spots since priority will be given to the first eight in each category.

While the entrance fee remains free, teams are required to deposit a commitment fee of G60 000 or US$300 which will be refunded on the second day of the tournament (November 2). John pointed out that there have been instances where teams gave their assurances of competing and pulled out at the last moment, placing the organisers in a quandary to fill places, hence the reason for the commitment fee.

John also told Chronicle Sport that the GSCL will allow three 49-year-olds to participate in the Over-50 division.

The GSCL, John pointed out, will have zero tolerance for bowlers who are chucking with off-break and round-arm bowling being allowed and umpires will be given strict guidelines for players to comply with.

While not stating what penalty teams are likely to incur, John disclosed that any issue featuring match-fixing will be taken extremely seriously and teams in violation will be dealt with accordingly.

He cited instances where teams were allegedly accused of fixing games in order to allow other teams to qualify for semi-final spots. The GSCL president assured that the league is aiming to allow all participants a “level playing field,” and a committee will be tasked with dealing with any issues of this sort.

All teams will be required to attend a meeting on Thursday, October 31, prior to the commencement of the tournament the following day, and their 15-member team list should also include identification photographs which will be placed in a database system.

Once again, cheerleaders will be on hand to entertain the hundreds expected to be on hand for the finals while live commentary will also be part of the day’s proceedings.

While a new Over-50 champions will be crowned, Speedboat and Regal Masters will be going all out to defend championship honours in the Open and Over-45 categories respectively.

Registration forms can be uplifted at Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, 69 Seaforth Street, Campbellville and teams can contact the GSCL Inc. on 225 4802 or 226 4205.

John reminded that the tournament will once again be very lucrative with patrons assured of lots of giveaways when the finals are staged.