…Toronto Blizzards remain unbeaten in OMSCC Over-50 tournament

FORMER Guyana players, Sunil Dhaniram and Shiv Seeram, went on the rampage last Saturday at the St Bede ground in Toronto, Canada as they plundered a hapless Friendship Masters attack into submission when the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) Over-50 tournament continued in brilliant sunshine.

The defending champions, who were also the winners of the Over-50 tournament in the Canada Cup, played last September, blasted a record 363 for two in their allotted 20 overs with in an incredible display of power-hitting with the left-handed Dhaniram smashing 24 sixes and six fours in his 193 while right-hander Seeram pulverized the attack to the tune of 18 sixes and a solitary four.

By the end of the 10th over, the pair had already added 163, also a record for the tournament with Dhaniram on 102 and Seeram 53. There was no respite after the interval with a further 200 runs coming in the session.

An obviously stunned Friendship Masters huffed and puffed their way to 153 all out in 20 overs, losing by the wide margin of 210 runs. Sohan Singh picked up four for 12.
Seeram’s knock followed up his 76 from the previous weekend when Blizzards also made light work of Ramblers Rampage, defeating their opponents by eight wickets. Batting first, Ramblers Rampage reached 162 for eight in their 20 overs while Blizzards rushed to the required target in 12.2 overs.

Second placed Pegasus Storm stormed to an eight-wicket win over Remax All Stars at Dean Park on Saturday with former Guyana Under-19 player Troy Gobin continuing his rich vein of form with an unbeaten 60 as his team made light work of Remax All Stars 159 for five in their allotted 20 overs.

Gobin, who led the tournament’s aggregate in 2021 and 2022, struck five sixes and one four off 39 deliveries and received solid support from Jai Singh who’s undefeated 42 was laced with a four and four sixes off a mere 21 balls. Opener Suren Persaud chipped in with 38 (two fours and three sixes. Terry Mathura was Pegasus Storm best bowler with two for 13 from two overs.
Gobin, who struck a century in the second round, was also in the runs the previous weekend, finishing on an unbeaten 82 (six fours and seven sixes) as Pegasus Storm defeated newcomers Tropical Rebelz by eight wickets at St Bede.

Taking first strike, Tropical Rebelz were restricted to 157 for eight with Royston Naicken hitting four fours and four sixes in a top score of 47 while Mohan Sahadeo made 40 (two fours and three sixes). Mathura grabbed two for eight from his three overs while Gobin took two for 21.

Toronto Blizzards, who drew the bye for this upcoming weekend’s matches, lead the points table with the maximum 24 points from four matches while Pegasus Storm are second on 18 from the same four. Ramblers Rampage, Dirty Dozen and Friendship Masters are deadlocked on six points each while Tropical Rebelz are still to record a win. (Frederick Halley).