…Rems stutter in another last-over meltdown

By Frederick Halley

TORONTO, Canada – While Mercenary were celebrating their third championship success of the 2019 Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) season, Rems were once again made to lick their wounds after another last-over meltdown in their Division One regular season (20 overs) playoffs championship clash at the Ashtonbee Number One ground here last Saturday.

Seemingly well set to cart off the Paul & Sons 15-over title on the adjacent Number Two ground two Saturdays ago, Rems suffered a heart-breaking last ball defeat to the same opponents. This time around, Mercenary needed 11 runs in the final over of the tense encounter with the last pair of Daryl Narine and Bolanauth “Bunty” Sukhu at the wicket.

Narendra Madholall was entrusted to bowl the last over, one that’s probably still lingering in his mind as it turned out to be disastrous. After sending down a wide in the first delivery, the next two were clobbered for sixes by Narine, much to the delight of his teammates and supporters who stormed the field to celebrate their win. The victory earned them the Oil Changers Trophy, sponsored by Anil Beharrylall Sarwan.

Earlier, the game was evenly contested throughout with Mercenary being set 116 for victory after restricting Rems to 115 for six in their allotted 30 overs. Former Guyana and West Indies opener, Rajendra Chandrika, was the mainstay at the top of the order with a top score of 35 (one four) as wickets fell regularly around him.

Narine, who batted at number seven and was later named his team’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), was undefeated on 24 (3x6s) when victory was achieved. Chien Gittens was Rems best bowler with four for 26 from his four overs while Surujpaul Deosaran and Madholall claimed two for 20 and 22 respectively.

The consistent Gittens, who has been a welcome addition to Rems side, was once again among the runs, smashing two sixes in his 29. Skipper Richard Dias supported with 21 (2x4s); the two sharing an important 53-run third-wicket partnership. There was one wicket each for Aftab Shamsudeen, Satrohan “Bade” Balkarran and Avinash Sookdeo for 14, 16 and 27 runs respectively. Gittens copped the MVP award for the losing team.

Mercenary’s victory ensured they finished the 2019 season with three championships – topping the Division One regular season, winning the playoffs championship and the Paul & Sons 15-over title. Rems, on the other hand, carted off the Caribbean Sensation 10/10 crown and had to settle for the runners-up spot in both the playoffs championships and the 15-over.

Sookdeo and Narine were presented with cash incentives on behalf of their club. Sookdeo got his for his all-round performance during the season while Narine for his heroics in the final.

Meanwhile, at the presentation ceremony which followed, long-standing president of the OSCL, Albert Ramcharran, announced that he won’t be seeking re-election at the association’s next annual general meetlng scheduled for early in the new year. Ramcharran expressed thanks to the several sponsors and to the participating teams.