A NEW women’s champion will be crowned at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary on Sunday, when the eighth edition of the Prime Minister’s softball tournament climaxes following four days of intense action.
The two-year reign of defending champions 4 R Lioness came to a screeching halt at the Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) ground on Thursday evening, with Linden Supreme Stars registering a four-run defeat on their opponents in a cliffhanger before a raucous crowd, many of whom travelled from the mining town to witness the semi-final encounter.

Linden Supreme Stars will battle with Number 64 Knight Riders in Sunday’s final, set to commence at 09:30hrs, the latter drawing a bye to the final after the three top teams qualified in the 15-over knockout affair.
The Linden Supreme Stars victory was engineered by a belligerent even century from opener Marissa Rodney, whose knock was decorated with six fours and eight sixes.
The left-handed Rodney, who favoured the leg-side during the match-winning innings, was eventually run out off the last delivery of the innings as Linden Supreme Stars reached a challenging 176 for five in their allotted 15 overs.
The dominant Rodney shared in several useful partnerships, including 53 for the second wicket with Joyann Richards (10), 60 for the third with Erika Ashby) and 57 for the fifth with Alicica Stellingberg, who was unbeaten on 22. Nichola Argyle was 4 R Lioness best bowler, claiming two for 24 from her three overs.

Tanna Cambridge, with a blazing 49, spiced with three fours and three sixes, Tricia Ramjohn with an equally attacking 39 with five sixes gave the defending champions some hope, but once they kept losing wickets regularly the asking rate kept climbing.
4 Lioness hopes were still alive with 11 needed in the final over, but the Lindeners prevailed much to the delight of their supporters.

Meanwhile, the men’s categories featuring the All Stars Open, Masters Over-40 and Legends Over-50 got underway at several venues around Georgetown yesterday. The semi-final will be completed today with all the finals set to be staged at the Police Sports Club ground on Sunday.
In the absence of Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who is reportedly out of the country on government business, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson did the “bowl off” of the tournament at the Muslim Youth Organisation ground on Friday morning.
Among other government officials in attendance were Director of Sport, Keith Ninvalle; Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Kashif Muhammad; former Guyana national player, Steven Jacobs and former Guyana and West Indies player, Ryan Ramdass.
The minister was also presented with a token of appreciation by chairman of the GSCL Competitions Committee, MahEndra “Anil” Hardyal. (Frederick Halley)