Dhaniram (200), Parasnauth (109) pulverise KC Stalwarts bowlers
The victorious Toronto Blizzards side; Sunil Dhaniram and Jesh Parasnauth are stooping left and right respectively, with bats.
The victorious Toronto Blizzards side; Sunil Dhaniram and Jesh Parasnauth are stooping left and right respectively, with bats.

THE Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) 2021 playoffs started last Saturday with all eight Over-50 teams battling for championship honours.

And in what has been deemed by some as an unprecedented feat, openers Sunil Dhaniram and Rajendra “Jesh” Parasnauth batted through the entire 20 overs as Toronto Blizzards piled up an incredible 326 without loss.

Opponents Kitty/Campbellville Stalwarts failed to live up to what their name suggested, reaching 102 for four in their allotted overs, thereby going down by a massive 224 runs.

Playing under hazy sunshine at the St Bede ground, Scarborough, Dhaniram, a former Guyana and Canada national player, who also represented the West Indies in the recently-held triangular series which also involved Canada and USA, smashed the KC Stalwarts bowlers to all parts of the field, his 200 not out decorated with 10 fours and 23 sixes off 74 balls.

Parasnauth, on the other hand, belted eight fours and 10 sixes in his undefeated 109 as KC Stalwarts bowlers toiled unsuccessfully.
Narine Prashad (34) and Dennis Singh (24) were the top-scorers for KC Stalwarts as the four wickets were shared by Parasnauth, Dhaniram, former Guyana player Shiv Seeram and Bhagwandas Budhoo.

In another quarter-final encounter, played at the Woburn ground, also in Scarborough, Pegasus Storm were given a scare but eventually earned a hard-fought two-run victory over Dirty Dozen.

Led by a brilliant 99 from Suren Persaud, who shared an opening stand of 105 in 10.1 overs with former Guyana Under-19 player, Troy Gobin (41), Pegasus Storm reached what seemed a match-winning 204 for six in their allotted 20 overs.

Looking well set to complete a well-deserved century, Persaud fell to a tame shot to extra cover after hitting three fours and 10 sixes while Gobin’s knock contained four fours and two sixes. Jito Narine, who batted at number three, chipped in with a quick-fire 33 (one four and three sixes). Fazil Rasool, Ricky Ramchand, Jano Panday and Wayne Barrett took a wicket each.

Opener Ganesh Ramraj led the charge for Dirty Dozen with some pugnacious and clean hitting as he raced to 69 with two fours and eight sixes and received valuable support from Ivor Chung whose 43 included three fours and three sixes.

Once the two were dismissed, Dirty Dozen chances seemed to have evaporated but some sloppy fielding almost led them back into the match. Needing 17 in the last over, they managed 15 in a tense atmosphere.

Kris Mahadeo took three for 14 in his two overs while Orlando Deonarine claimed two for 15, also off two. Despite not taking a wicket, Wayne Harry’s two overs, which cost a mere four runs, proved vital in the game.

In Saturday’s semi-finals, Toronto Blizzards will clash with Pegasus Storm while Cosmos battle Ramblers Rampage. The final is set for Saturday, September 26.

(Frederick Halley)

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