… Jas Mathura creates history as first female vice-president

By Frederick Halley

SWEEPING changes were the order of the day when Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Club (OMSCC) held its eagerly awaited and delayed Annual General Meeting (AGM) last Sunday via Zoom. The current COVID-19 pandemic saw the meeting and election of office-bearers rescheduled from last year.
Significant among the changes was the election of the entity’s first female vice-president in Jas Mathura, who has been elevated from the post of secretary.
The new president is Paul Jaman who replaces long-standing leader Azeem Khan whose term ended last year. Jaman last served as the Over-50 Coordinator.
Orin O’Neil, who is still an active player, will serve as treasurer, replacing Khem Singh while Terry Mathura, the husband of Jas, is the Over-50 Coordinator. Ganesh Ramraj replaces Dickey Singh as the new Umpires Coordinator while the disciplinary committee, which is chaired by the vice-president, comprises Bobby Ramlagan, Patrick Shivrattan and Nazir Khan. The three other members, as prescribed by the constitution, will be appointed by the executives.
Speaking with Chronicle Sport, following his election, Jaman said several factors will have to be taken into consideration as to whether there will be a full or shortened season this year after there were no tournaments last year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chief among the factors, Jaman explained, is the OMSCC receiving permission from the Ontario government health officials and also the City Parks & Recreation authorities.
According to the new president, even if these permissions were secured, OMSCC will still seek feedback from the teams as to the way forward since some of them are still “iffy” about participating due to the pandemic. Jaman is, however, optimistic that even if there are no seasonal tournaments, players will be involved in some form of cricket under strict guidelines.
Acknowledging that the secretary plays a major role in any organisation, Jaman said the Board, which will hold its first meeting during this week, will use due diligence in appointing someone who is team-oriented, efficient and able to fit in well in a team atmosphere. The same method, he said, will be used to appoint the other three Disciplinary Committee members.
Jaman praised the “tireless efforts” of the outgoing executives for their role in upkeeping the sport and also expressed a special welcome to the new members.
In an invited comment, Mathura said she’s indeed proud to be the first female vice-president of the OMSCC and was appreciative that the members felt confident enough to elect her into the position of vice-president. Mathura pointed out that she hopes to be part of a successful team which will ensure that the game of softball flourishes as there are many committed players and fans.