…Regal Legends on mission to win maiden title
By Frederick Halley, in Florida
AFTER COVID-19 forced the organisers to abandon the staging of the Orlando Softball Cup in 2021, excitement is at fever pitch for the highly-anticipated three-day tournament which bowls off today with several preliminary round matches in the Open, Masters Over-40 and Legends Over-50 categories.
The draw was set to be held last night at the Legends Resto and Lounge, International Drive, Orlando, while the tournament climaxes on Sunday with the finals in all three categories.
Guyana is being represented by Regal Legends and Trophy Stall Lions in the Legends Over-50 category, two teams who have had a long history of rivalries over the years prior to the advent of the Over-50 division.
Before being rebranded Trophy Stall Lions, the then Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFCA) defeated Regal Masters in the final of the Over-45 category in Orlando in 2018.
GFSCA’s victory was engineered by a brilliant century from Essequibian, Ramesh Deonarine, who has since switched allegiance and is donning Regal Legends colours.
Another player of note, who was also part of the star-studded GFSCA’s XI, was Uniss Yusuf, the hard-hitting opener. Like Deonarine, he is also a permanent fixture in the Regal Legends outfit. Veteran Wayne Jones, who represented the GFSCA Over-50 Legends in Orlando in 2018 and subsequently skippered Mike’s Wellman, joined Regal Legends last year following the death of owner Lakhram “Mike” Singh and the subsequent exit of the teams in international tournaments.
According to Regal Legends long-standing captain, Mahendra “Anil” Hardyal, his team is on a mission to win their maiden title in Orlando and he’s confident of lifting the only trophy that has eluded the well-organised Guyana unit.
Regal Legends have won in New York, Fort Lauderdale and in Guyana but is yet to add the Orlando Cup to their bulging collection and Hardyal is eager for his charges to hit the ground running when the tournament bowls off today.
Hardyal pointed out that preparations for the tournament have been good and “we are ready to compete against any team. We know that Regal Legends are being targeted but we are prepared for the challenge ahead.”
Regal Legends registered a two-wicket victory in last year’s final of the Prime Minister T20 Softball tournament over the New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL), played at the Guyana National Stadium with defeat staring them in the face. Set 157 for victory, they were in dire straits at 104 for eight in the 16th over before the heroics from Hardyal and Rudolph “Gussy” Baker ensured they maintained their supremacy.
Apart from the two Guyanese contingent, several teams from the hosts, Canada, Fort Lauderdale and New York will be vying for honours and three days of exciting softball cricket is anticipated.
