By Frederick Halley in Orlando

REGAL/New York Hustlers shrugged off a preliminary round defeat to archrivals, New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) Legends, to retain championship honours in the Legends Ocver-50 category when the Orlando Softball Cricket League (OSCL) 2025 tournament climaxed in the Sunshine State, Florida, on Sunday,

The victory, achieved by 33 runs, was sweet revenge for the mainly Guyana-based players who lost to NYSCL Legends in a nail-biting finish on Friday after a match-winning unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 166 from the Sahadeo brothers, Errapali (81 not out) and Ravi (72 not out).
The convincing win was also similar to when Regal Legends stormed back to whip Orlando in March 2023 after the home team had got the better of them on the opening day. It was also a significant victory then, since the Orlando Cup was the only missing hardware from the Regal Legends cupboard after dominating tournaments in Guyana, New York and Fort Lauderdale.

Like they did on Friday, NYSCL Legends once again inserted Regal/New York Hustlers to take first strike on a brilliant sun-lit day.
Missing the services of opener Asif Ally, who blasted a fine 86 on Saturday versus Orlando in the semi-final, but left on personal business and Jagdesh Persaud through injury, Regal/New York Hustlers were forced to make two significant changes, bringing in Mohendra Arjune and Surujdeo Ramdin.
Pumped up despite the changes, skipper Uniss Yusuf led the charge with a responsible 42 (six fours), adding 37 in 5.3 overs for the first wicket with former Guyana Under-19 player, Troy Gobin (18).
Regal/New York Hustlers however slumped to 120 for five in the 13th over before Roy Persaud, who was promoted up the order, upped the ante with a quick-fire 18-ball 38, spiced with three fours and two sixes to revive the innings. Khemraj Dindial had earlier contributed a useful 20 (three fours), batting at number four. Bowling for NYSCL, Nandlall Doodnauth took two for 35 and Navin Sahadeo two for 40.

NYSCL Legends quickly slipped to 34 for three in the sixth over, with Errapali Sahadeo (one) being among the key scalps, offering Rudolph Baker an easy catch at short cover off Roy Persaud. Ravi Sahadeo (22) and Brian Mohan (18) tried desperately to rescue the innings but once they were dismissed in quick succession of each other, after adding 34 for the fourth wicket, the writing was on the wall for the New Yorkers.

It became 98 for eight in the 14th over, before some rearguard fightback from the tailenders saw them reaching 159 all out off the last ball of the 20th over. Manoj Kumar, batting at number seven, added some sparkle to the innings, smacking three fours and four sixes in a top score of 45.
Bowling for Regal/New York Hustlers, skipper Yusuf crowned a fine all-round performance with figures of four for 33 from his four overs while Gobin took two for 26 and Wayne Jones two for 33.
In Saturday’s semi-final, the Guyana-based team dished out a sound thrashing on Orlando Legends, whipping the home team by eight wickets in a lopsided affair at the Airport ground.
Set a challenging 206 for victory, after asking Orlando to take first strike, Regal/New York Hustlers reached the target in 15.4 overs.

The run chase was engineered by openers Asif Ally who blasted a boundary-studded 86 and Yusuf with and even half century. The two added 91 in a mere six overs.
The left-handed Ally lashed seven fours and an equal number of sixes in his brilliant knock while Yusuf’s innings contained nine fours and a six.
Ally also shared a second wicket stand of 101 with Jagdesh Persaud who stroked three fours and three sixes in 39 before retiring hurt.

Earlier, former Guyana Under-19 player, Sham Veerasammy, stroked a polished 57 for the home team, decorated with four fours and five sixes for the eventual losers who reached 206 for nine in their allotted 20 overs. Jagdesh Persaud took two for 32, John Sumair two for 40 and Roy Persaud two for 42.
Apart from the winning trophy, Regal/New York Hustlers took home US$2500. Persaud was adjudged the man-of-the-match in the final while Asif Ally carted off the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the Over-50 category and Yusuf, the best bowler and the final trophy for his performance in the final.