BETTER Hope maintained their unbeaten run to emerge winners of the Over-40 B Division in the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) 2024 season final, played at the St Bede’s ground in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada last Sunday.
Entering the final with an unblemished record, Better Hope turned back the challenge of Ramblers to come out victorious before their raucous supporters on a chilly Sunday afternoon.

Chasing 129 for victory, after limiting their opponents to 128 all out and starting as firm favourites, Better Hope romped to a convincing victory in 17.4 overs, losing three wickets in the process.
The victory was engineered by a fine unbeaten 47 from Deochand “Desmond” Ram who shared a 34-run second wicket partnership with Jai Singh (six) following the dismissal of former Guyana National player Krishna Arjune (three) and a further 61 with skipper Sunil Ramkissoon (29).
Ramkissoon, who smashed three sixes in his entertaining knock, went with 20 still needed for victory. However, there were no further alarms as Ram, who struck five fours and a six and Rakesh Ramoutar (four not out) saw their team home. Lal Dingo Singh took one for 11, Vishal Arjune one for 16 and Patrick Shivrattan one for 21.

Earlier, the consistent Narendra Buchana was the star for Ramblers with a brilliant 42 but failed to get support from the other batters as he was the only player to reach double figures. Buchana, who batted at number four, slammed three fours and four sixes before he was bowled by Mahendra Monelall. Twenty-one wides and 10 leg byes aided in the eventual total.

Bowling for Better Hope, Richard Narine claimed two for eight and Gavin Singh two for 14. There was also one wicket each for Ramkissoon, Jerry Brittania, Shablall Sha Mohabir and Monelall.
Both the winning team and runner-up teams were recipient of trophies while all the players received medallions.

The respective Most Valuable Players (MVPs), Ram of Better Hope and Buchana of Ramblers were presented with trophies, compliments of TDMJ Accounting and Tax Services, owned by Terry and Jasdavi Mathura.
Seven teams participated in the B Division with Better Hope topping the points table with 42 points, followed by Ramblers (39), United (36), Reliance Lions (18), Carr Tec (15), GT Bannas (12) and All Stars (six).
Better Hope’s Krishna Arjune led the batting aggregate with 286 runs and he was followed by Polly Shivrattan (Ramblers) with 221, Ramkissoon (206) and Mark Khan (GT Bannas) 202.

In the bowling department, Jano Panday (United) took 11 wickets and Jerry Brittania (Better Hope) nine. There were five players with seven wickets – Ganeshwar Babulall (Reliance Lions), Raja Pooran (Reliance Lions), Mark Khan (GT Bannas), Sheldon Burnett (Reliance Lions) and Prem Kumar (United). (Frederick Halley).