By Frederick Halley

NEW York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) Legends were crowned the 2025 Over-50 champions when the 20th edition of NYSCL Independence Cup ended in a blaze of glory at Baisley Park, Queens, New York last Sunday.

Playing unbeaten throughout the three days of stiff competition and led from the front by a masterful unbeaten 98 from skipper Errapali Sahadeo, the home team defeated archrivals Regal Legends by 29 runs in an entertaining final, played before hundreds of spectators on a sun-lit Sunday afternoon.

Sahadeo, who once again proved to be a “thorn in the flesh” of the Guyana-based Regal Legends, shared a face-saving fourth-wicket partnership of 140 with the left-handed Imran Ali after NYSCL Legends were rocked back at 24 for three in the first three overs with the experienced veteran Mahendranauth “Bobby” Parasnauth knocking back the stumps of Ravi Sahadeo (two) and Sunil Dhnairam (10). Troy Gobin joined the fray with the wicket of Mohan Harihar who went caught and bowled for one.

Any thoughts Regal Legends harboured of dismissing their opponents for a low score soon evaporated with Sahadeo and Ali, the latter the more aggressive of the two, gaining the ascendancy as the fielding team wilted under the intense heat, conceding a total of 44 extras, mainly wides and leg byes in the process.
By the time Ali was dismissed, bowled by Saheed Mohamed for a 30-ball 53, which contained three fours and an equal number of sixes, the partnership had blossomed to an extent where it seemed to have taken a toll on the opponents.

With the overs running out, Sahadeo unleashed several lethal blows and looked set for a well-deserved hundred but was left high and dry on 98, decorated with three fours and eight huge sixes.
Parasnauth, who did the early damage, ended with two for 34 from his four overs while Mohamed took one for 24 and Gobin one for 34.

Like NYSCL, Regal Legends reply started in disastrous fashion as they slipped precariously to eight for three, losing the wickets of skipper Uniss Yusuf (0), Lloyd Ruplall (one) and Rudolph Baker (three) as Navin Naryayan and Rickford Edwards made early inroads.

The consistent Gobin, who made an elegant 55 in Friday’s opening game, was once again to the fore, hitting a top score of 60 which included two fours and a six. He added 42 for the fourth wicket with Mohamed and 63 for the eighth with Stanley Mohabir as the pendulum swung slightly.
There was still hope for Regal Legends but once Gobin departed at 153 for eight, ensuring Narayan his third wicket, the hopes faded despite entertaining knocks of 29 (two fours and six) from Mohabir and an undefeated 22 from Parasnauth which contained two fours and a six.

Kumar Chickery finished with four for 33 and Narayan three for 20.
The victorious NYSCL players were rewarded with the Eagle and $2,500 (US) while all the players were also recipients of medals. Erapalli Sahadeo was deservedly named the man-of-the-match.
Gobin carted off the MVP trophy for scoring the most runs and claiming three wickets, earning another trophy for the latter while Parasnauth received a trophy for bagging the most wickets (eight) in the category.