…Mouth-watering showdown looms in SFSCL tournament

By Frederick Halley
OVER the years, the Open category was the prime attraction at international softball tournaments staged in Guyana, New York, Toronto, Orlando and Florida.
However, since the advent of the Over-50 Legends category a few years ago, that has since changed. With the South Florida Softball Cricket League (SFSCL) tournament set for March 31, April 1 and 2 in Fort Lauderdale, tongues are already wagging as a potential mouth-watering showdown looms between Guyana’s Regal Legends and Canada’s Toronto Blizzards.

Both teams have established envious and unbeatable records in their respective countries and also at the international games with Toronto Blizzards romping to victory at the New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) Independence Cup final in 2019 and Regal Legends doing likewise in 2021. In both instances the two teams did not confront each other.
Regal Legends continued their winning ways in the 2021 Prime Minister’s Cup, playing unbeaten to claim top honours in a lop-sided final versus Mike’s Wellman at the Guyana National Stadium. Significantly, Toronto Blizzards did not participate.

In the meantime, there has been a lot of bragging and boasting, not only among the players from both teams but also by their supporters as to which team is superior.
In a dominant performance in the 2021 Independence Cup final, played at Royal Wilkins Park, Regal Legends piled up 237 for four from their allotted 20 overs with Unis Yusuf, who was later named the most valuable player (MVP), blasting a top score of 94, laced with five fours and seven sixes, finishing the tournament with an impressive 215 runs from four innings.

Left-hander Eric Thomas also slammed a pugnacious undefeated 72. Opponents Williamsburg could muster only 95 for eight when their overs expired.
Williamsburg were the third opponents that failed to get past the 100-run mark against Regal Legends. Rockaway Legends folded for 30, chasing 254, Marine Masters limped to 80 batting first. Only semi-finalists NYSC Legends, with 105 chasing 201 to win, reached triple-figures against the clinical Regal bowling attack.

Four months later, it was a similar script as Regal Legends completed an emphatic 92-run victory over their fiercest competitors, Mike’s Wellman, in the Prime Minister’s Cup final, played in November at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

Winning the toss and batting, Regal Legends reached 171 for six in their allotted 20 overs before Wellman succumbed to 79 all out in 17.2 overs in another disappointing performance.
Regal Legends’ innings was built around fine knocks from Ramesh Deonarine, who hit 43 (3×4, 1×6) and the consistent Yusuf, whose 35 included four fours and a six. Yusuf claimed his second consecutive MVP award following his heroics in New York.

Formerly Ontario Masters Softball International, the Canadians made their debut in 2013 in Fort Lauderdale. Sponsored primarily by Naseer Baksh, who hails from Leguan, Baksh has since taken ownership of the team and renamed it the Toronto Blizzards.

To his credit, the Blizzards have participated in several international tournaments including five trips to Guyana. They were crowned the 2019 NYSCL Legends champions after a hard-fought victory over New York Hustlers.
Playing unbeaten in the three-day tournament, Toronto Blizzards were indebted to a marvellous 118-run second-wicket partnership between former Canadian ICC World Cup player Desmond Chumney (80) and former Guyana batter Jaimini Singh (36), reaching 162 for eight in their 20 overs. New York Hustlers were dismissed for 155 in 19.5 overs, going down by seven runs.

According to manager Azeem Khan, the former Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) president, his charges are raring to go despite not playing competitively since last October when the 2021 local season ended and which also saw them retaining championship honours.
Apart from Chumney, Toronto Blizzards are being led by former Guyana player Shivnauth Seeram and include another former player in Sunil Dhaniram who also turned out for Regal Legends in last year’s Prime Minister’s Cup tournament.

Following are the teams – Regal Legends: Mahendra Hardyal (captain), Unis Yusuf, Ramesh Deo Narine, Eric Thoma, Eion Abel, Rudolph Baker, David Harper, Fazleem Mohamed, Parsram Persaud, Laurie Singh, Mohendra Arjune and Lyndon Lyght.

Toronto Blizzards: Shivnauth Seeram (captain), Jaimini Singh, Sunil Dhaniram, Desmond Chumney, Mohan Harihar, Rabindra Parasnauth, Fazil Shakoor, Orin O’Neil, Michael Kisten, Shazam Baksh, Lal Singh, Hazari Girdhari, Fazal Shakoor and Thalchand Singh.

Meanwhile, Regal Masters have also released their squad for the Over-40 Masters category. It comprises Patrick Rooplall, Chien Gittens, Khemchand Dindyal, Surujdeo Ramdeen, Mohamed Ayume, Lakeram Roopnarine, Mahendranauth Parasnauth, Balram Roopnarine, Balram Paul, Tyrone Sanasie, Samuel Kingston, Sheldon Perch and Krishna Balgobin.