WITH just three weeks before the staging of the sixth edition of the Prime Minister T20 Softball tournament, the organisers, Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. (GSCL), are in the process of fine-tuning plans for the mega extravaganza.

According to GSCL president Ian John, he’s expecting some 26 teams to participate in the three-day affair, set to bowl off on Friday, November 11 at various venues across the city, culminating with the four finals at the Guyana National Stadium on Sunday, November 13 and these include teams from Guyana, Canada, New York and Florida.

Among the other venues identified are Police Sports Club, Guyana Defence Force, Demerara Cricket Club, Muslim Youth Organisation, Queen’s College, Transport Sports Club and Gandhi Youth Organisation.
In this year’s tournament four female teams will participate. John pointed out that this was an initiative of Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who delivered the feature address at the tournament’s launching on August 21 at the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) ground.

The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to double the original first prize from $50 000 to $100 000 while the second-place purse was increased from $25 000 to $50 000. With the input of another sponsor, the winning prize money has since spiralled to $200 000 and a trophy for the winners as well as $25 000 and a trophy for the runners-up.

The player-of-the-match in the final will collect a trophy while the player-of-the-tournament gets a blender.
Defending champions Ariel All Stars are among the six teams scheduled to battle in the All Stars (Open) category, which will see the players do the round-arm style for the first time since the inception of the tournament. The other teams in contention are previous winners Speedboat, Regal All Stars, Florida Finest (Florida), Name Brand (Berbice) and Softball Cricket Canada.

Two-time defending champions Fisherman Masters are expected to face stiff opposition in the Masters Over-40 category which also features the likes of Regal Masters, Success Masters, Corriverton Masters (New York), New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL), Ariel Masters, Hibernia Strikers (Essequibo) and Softball Cricket Canada.

In the Legends Over-50, Regal Legends, who have been ruling the roost in and out of Guyana, will face off with Trophy Stall Legends, Parika Defenders, NYSCL Legends, East Coast Legends, Toucana Rangers and Jai Hind Jaguars.

The winners of each of the three categories will waltz away with a huge $600 000 first prize and a trophy while the runners-up collect $50 000 and a trophy. Each man-of-the-match gets a trophy. The MVP in the All Stars Open is guaranteed a 50-inch flat screen television, the same as the Over-40 Masters winner, while the Legends Over-50 MVP receives a three-piece sofa.

Among the several sponsors are Banks DIH Ltd. (Rainforest Waters), Danny Persaud (YouTuber) It’s Our Life ARD, Trophy Stall, Pro Signs, I & S Trading, Tourism Guyana, Reliance Services, Parsram Discount Store, Ameer & Amrit Furniture Store, Khan’s Trading Enterprise, HL Latino America Furniture (Panama), P&P Insurance, Regal Stationery & Computer Centre, Mohamed’s Enterprise, Chung’s Global Enterprise, Atlantic Marine Supplies Inc., Crown Mining Supplies, Rudisa Motor Company (Guy) Inc., Freelancer Advertising Agency, Krsna & Amp; Balram Printery, Rajiv Gandhi University and Ofimak Office Supplies (Panama). (Frederick Halley)