… top teams Masters, Pegasus expected to face stiff opposition

THE COVID-19 pandemic may have prevented the Ontario Roundarm Softball Cricket Association (ORSCA) 2019 Grand Champion Masters and Test champions Pegasus from defending their titles in 2020, but the passion has been renewed with unassailable vigour for the 2021 season.

ORSCA is cautiously optimistic that control of COVID-19 will permit a full 2021 season where some of the most talented softball players will be given the opportunity to display their skills and compete against each other.

Round-arm bowling (through ORSCA) has become an unconquerable pride in Ontario over the last decade. What started in 2011 as a process to reclaim a lost art in softball cricket, has blossomed into the most acceptable definition of a legit bowling action and by 2019 completed the evolution process of being one of the most competitive softball tournaments in Canada.
ORSCA is looking forward to this year where the likes of Bobby Budhram (over 700 runs), Damodar Daesrath (seven centuries), Bobby Parasnauth, Jeetendra Beharry, Ramiz Mohamed, Roopnarine Lalbehari, Vijay Jhappen, Naresh Roopnarine, Sasenarine Narine, Vijendra Kowhessar, David Latchya, Amir Khan and Mahendra Nauth, among many others, will compete in potentially three different categories.

ORSCA welcomed Uprising Superstarz (led by Fazal Khan) and Cool Runnings (skippered by Mitch Bacchus) in 2020. Defending grand Champions Masters will be looking forward to Budhram, Abdool Samad, Anil Ramoutar and Azib Ali Hanif to take care of the batting. The bowling would be spearheaded by Mark Nazir, Amzad Haniff and Imran Ali.
Pegasus’ Daesrath, Riaz Kadir, Farook Hussain, Ritchie Shivrattan and Abinash Ramnarayan will take care of the batting whilst Davo Ramsawak, Naresh Singh and Tariq Hussain will spearhead the bowling. Aftab Shamsudeen, a veteran softball player and youngster Ameer Khan joined the league in 2020.

Masters and Pegasus are expected to be seriously challenged by several teams which have strengthened. 2019 finalists Cambridge have added Rishi Harricharan to support Zulfikar Rozan. Gladiators, under the captaincy of Naresh Bhagwandin, have Avinash Sookdeo, Shaun Deonandan, Looknauth Ramsuchit and Yadram Bhoj.
Dinesh Ramkissoon and Parmanand Singh will be part of three-time champions lineup while Spartans have been eerily competitive since joining ORSCA. With Morrison Edwards, Rawl Scott and Fazil Gani they have sent fear in many top oppositions.

Rangers, through one of the top all-rounders in Ramiz Mohamed, and Anil Mahadeo; Challengers, with Harry Sukhram, and Enterprise with Sasenarine Narine will also be in the title hunt.
The 2021 season will, however, be dependent on ORSCA getting the go-ahead from the relevant health authorities.