… Regal face stiff opposition to retain titles

By Frederick Halley

WHEN the fourth annual Prime Minister Cup Softball Cup, organised by the Georgetown Softball League (GSCL) Inc, bowls off on Friday at various venues across Georgetown, Regal will be aiming to repeat history by becoming the first club to qualify for all three finals, a feat they accomplished last year.
Despite the absence of the usual overseas teams, apart from two from New York (Rockaway Legends and President’s X1 in the Over-50 category), the tournament is expected to be highly competitive with several teams aiming to dethrone Regal in all three categories.

Chief among them are Speedboat who failed to qualify for last year’s semi-finals after winning in 2017 and 2018, Mike’s Wellman who still have a score to settle after losing two consecutive finals in the Over-45 category and Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) with a star-studded squad to vie for supremacy in the Legends Over-50 division.

For several weeks, the staging of this year’s tournament hung in the balance due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has overwhelmed most countries. However, with the blessings of the Ministry of Health and the National COVID-19 Task Force, outdoor sport is once again permitted in Guyana, albeit with specific guidelines.

According to a release from the Ministry of Health, “We have provisions in the Order that is currently enforced for limited provision of sporting events. In the specific instance of cricket, we have granted permission for cricket matches, but without spectators, and along with the permission among the conditions that they have to uphold is that bars at these events must be closed; there must be no bars,” Dr Frank Anthony said in his daily COVID-19 update last Tuesday.

In what was considered unprecedented in 2019, Regal vied for supremacy in all three categories – the Open team clashed with Grill Masters of Berbice, the Over-45 battled Mike’s Wellman in a repeat of the 2018 final and the Over-50 faced New York’s President’s X1.

Due to logistical problems, occasioned by faulty floodlights at Everest Cricket Club ground, the teams were forced to share honours in the Open category while Regal won handsomely from Mike’s Wellman and New York President’s XI in the Over-45 and Over-50 divisions respectively.

In addition, Regal also had the unique distinction of having all three Most Valuable Players (MVPs) in skipper Mahendra Hardyal in the Legends category, Ramesh Deonarine (Masters) and Sachin Singh (Open). Hardyal “rode” away with the Hero motorcycle, compliments of Rose Ramdehol, while Deonarine and Singh collected television sets, donated by Regal Stationery and Office Supplies. All the MVPs received bats from Hafeez Ali of Rockaway All Stars.
The Over-45 final was billed as a grudge match between the top two teams in the category but it turned out to be a damp squib as defending champions Regal Masters made light work of Wellman who were skittled out for a disappointing 83 in 19.5 overs.

Regal Masters, through a fine 51 from the consistent Ramesh Deonarine, raced to the required target off 13.1 overs, winning their third consecutive title in the process. The victory followed a similar win over Wellman in 2018 in a much closer final.

In the Legends Over-50 final, an emphatic opening partnership of 126 by Veerapen Moonsammy (63) and Mahesh Chunilall (61 not out) enabled Regal Legends to register an emphatic nine-wicket victory over New York President’s XI to cart off the inaugural title. Chasing the visitors 139 for six, Regal Legends achieved the required target with five overs to spare in the 20-over affair.

The winners of the Legends Over-50 category will cart off $200 000, while the runners-up will receive $50 000. The man-of-the-match in the final will receive a trophy while man-of-the-series will collect a 50-inch Smart TV valued at $120 000.

In the Masters Over-45 category, the winners will pocket $20 000 and the runners-up $50 000 while the man-of-the-match in the final will receive a trophy and the man-of-the-series will take home a 50-inch Smart TV valued at $100 000.

In the All Stars category, (Open), the winners will receive $200 000; the runners-up $50 000, man-of-the-match in the final a trophy and the man-of-the-series a 40-inch Smart TV valued at $70 000.

The tournament will be live-streamed on Facebook, NCN and YouTube and as usual there will be no entrance fee.
Among the sponsors of this year’s tournament are Banks DIH, Chung’s Global, Danny Persaud (Youtuber) It’s our life ARD, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop, Price Chopper Store, Star Party Rentals, P&P Insurance, Dyna’s Embroidery, Caribbean Airlines, Crown Mining Supplies and Dinar Trading.