cart off OSCL T20 Playoffs title

ALREADY assured of the regular season T20 and T-15 titles in this year’s Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) 2023 season, giant killers Mercenary’s seeming invincibility came to a screeching end on Sunday at the Ellesmere Number One ground.
Starting as firm favourites to add the T20 Playoffs title to their bulging collection, the defending champions were dethroned by Berbice Vipers, going down by six runs in an exciting low-scoring contest which was decided in the final over.

Set 104 for victory after limiting Berbice Vipers to 104 for nine in their allotted 20 overs, Mercenary were off to a nightmare start, losing the wickets of prolific openers Avinash Sookdeo and Avish Rukhram in the first two overs, both going for five.
The defending champions, who were harbouring thoughts of carting off all four titles, like they did last year, plunged into further trouble and at 39 for five in the 12th over were staring down the barrel.

However, a fine 37-run sixth-wicket partnership in just four overs between the hard-hitting Zaheer Allard and Muniram Karran brough Mercenary back into contention.
Allard’s 31 off 23 balls was laced with a four and three huge sixes while Karran’s contribution in the partnership was 11.

The innings took a dramatic turn as not only Allard and Karran were sent packing at 76, the former off the last ball of the 15th over and the latter off the first ball of the 16th, while Orin O’Neil followed at the same score without troubling the scorers. It became 77 for nine when Satrohan Balkarran’s stumps were shattered by Nishal Dass with Berbice Vipers sensing victory.
Another twist ensued as Rabindra Diaram (16 not out) and last man Bholanuth Sukhu (four) took Mercenary to within seven runs for victory, staging a brave undefeated 21-run stand but their effort proved in vain as Berbice Vipers prevailed by six runs much to the delight of their fans.

Bowling for the winners, Eyon Asrula finished with the impressive figures of three for 15 from his four overs and received valuable support from Anil Kumar (two for nine), Nishal Dass (two for 15) and Sudesh Beharry (two for 36).

Earlier, Berbice Vipers, who were inserted to bat by their opponents, were guided to what became a winning score by a top-score of 34 from 36 balls by opener Ravain Yusuf, an innings which contained four fours and a six. Asrula’s 15 towards the end of the innings also proved vital. Amit Rukhram bagged four for 10 while Balkarran took three for 13.
At the presentation ceremony which followed, OSCL President, Shiv Persaud, announced that the T20 Playoffs, which was first sponsored last year by former president and founding-member, Kenny Girdharry, will now be officially named in his honour. Persaud thanked Girdharry for his generosity in sponsoring the tournament.

According to Girdharry, the sponsorship was done in honour of his late father, Nateram “Pops” Girdharry, an ardent cricket fan, who passed away in 2021.
Apart from carting off the winning trophy, Berbice Vipers’ Asrula was also adjudged the player of the match for his team for his fine all-round performance while Amit Rukhram was the choice for Mercenary, whose skipper Looknauth Ramsuchit collected the runner-up trophy.

Apart from emerging winners of the tournament, it also marked the first time that Berbice Vipers had qualified for a final since joining the OSCL.

Meanwhile, Mercenary will have a chance to redeem themselves in the T-10 semi-final, billed for Saturday, August 26 at the Ellesmere Number One ground when they oppose Better Hope. The winners will clash with Caribbean Sensation the following day at the same venue, bringing down the curtains on the OSCL 2023 season.