…Cart off inaugural Speaker’s Cup

REGAL Legends continued their superiority in Over-50 softball cricket, inflicting a 68-run victory over Vapes Guyana to emerge undisputed winners of inaugural Speaker’s Cup Over-50 category when the three-day tournament climaxed at the Everest Cricket Club ground, Camp Road, in brilliant sunshine yesterday.

Playing unscathed in the tournament, Regal Legends completely dominated the East Coast based side after opting to take first strike, despite losing the key wickets of Mohendra Arjune (one), Ramesh Deonarine (18) and Uniss Yusuf who struck two fours and two sixes in 34.

Rudolph “Gussy” Baker, whose attacking 53 off 33 balls contained four fours and three sixes, shared an important 58-run fourth-wicket partnership with Wayne Jones (26), before the latter went caught by Sahadeo Budhu of Jai Ram.

Baker added a further 28 with the left-handed Eric Thomas who’s breezy 25 off 19 balls included a four and two massive sixes as Regal Legends reached a formidable 181 seven in their allotted 20 overs. Jai Ram finished with two for 44 and Mahadeo Chunilall two for 50 from their respective four overs.

Despite a quick start of 27 in 3.4 overs between openers Chunilall (17) and Mohamed Rafeek (11), Vapes Guyana plummeted to 40 for four in the sixth over and never really recovered. Jones was the architect of the collapse, claiming the first three wickets, eventually finishing with the impressive figures of four for 24 from his four allotted overs.

Left-hander Seeraj Bhimsain offered token resistance with a top score of 22 (one four and a six) as Vapes Guyana could only muster 113 for seven when their 20 overs expired. Lalta Gainda was undefeated on 18. Surujdeo Ramdeen took one for three while two batsmen, including Bhimsain, went via the run out route.

The winners pocketed $250 000 while the runners-up took home $100 000. Jones copped the man-of-the-match of the final award, while Yusuf topped the runs chart and Randolph Perreira of Parika Legends took the most wickets. The three collected $25 000 and a trophy each. The league matches, which commended on Saturday and concluded on Sunday, were 15 overs per side while the final was a 20-over affair.

Meanwhile, Regal Masters later made it two in two with a thrilling nail-biting victory over Ariel Masters in the Masters Over-40. Details will follow in a subsequent issue.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir is the patron of the tournament and featured in the ceremonial bowl off on Saturday and was also on hand to present the trophies after the finals.

While pointing out the tournament is slated to be an annual affair, he said the organisers are also aiming to stage another competition later this year. The trophies were sponsored by popular businessman and proprietor of Trophy Stall, Ramesh Sunich, who also presented a plaque to the speaker on behalf of the participating teams.

Businessman Lalta Gainda took the opportunity to hand over $50 000 worth of Vapes to Everest Cricket Club and cricket balls to the Everest Masters hardball team.

Tournament Director, John Ramsingh had earlier disclosed that the tournament will become another permanent fixture on the calendar of events for softball cricket following the Prime Minister’s T20 Softball Cup which is played towards the end of the year among teams in and out of Guyana.

Among the sponsors were V-Net Communications, Raj Ace Auto Plus, Coss Cutter Supermarkets, MMD Hollow Blocks and Pavers, ACS Auto Parts, The New Doctor’s Clinic, Rohan Bhojraj, Lisa Gulamoidin, Power Producers and Distributors Inc, Colin Talbot Contracting Services, New Dimension Services, Vishal’s Auto Toy Store, We Care Health Supplies, Friends of Everest Masters, Movements Family, Imtiaz Sadik, M.S. Imports, General Marine Company, JSB Bumpers, Clermont Cricket Team, Mike’s Pharmacy, Two Brothers Gas Station, Right Aid Pharmaceutical, Guybiz Establishment, Rohan Auto Spares, FL Sport, Windjammer International Cuisine and Comfort Inn. (Frederick Halley)