AFTER a somewhat indifferent showing in the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) 2024 season, which saw them capturing the lone T10 title, failing to reach the T15 final and being soundly beaten in the T20 championship final by Caribbean Sensation, giant killers Mercenary certainly had a score to settle in the 2025 season.

Already winners of the T10 championship, played in honour of the late softball executive Vish Jadunauth, Mercenary made light work of defending champions, Better Hope, in last Saturday’s T15 final, played under the auspices of former long-standing OSCL President, Albert Ramcharran, who incidentally was one of the officiating umpires in the game.
Set a paltry 108 for victory, after asking Better Hope to take first strike at the St Bede ground in Scarborough, Toronto, Canada, Mercenary rushed to the target in 9.3 overs, losing four wickets in the process and with some 33 balls to spare.

The victory was engineered by a brilliant opening stand of 74 off a mere 4.3 overs by the prolific Richard Latif who clobbered four sixes in a quick-fire 14-ball 31 and Avish Rukhram who slammed a four and four sixes in his 25 which came off 17 balls.

The partnership took the wind out of the Better Hope players as Mercenary cantered to an easy win. Skipper Davendra Ramkissoon finished with two for 14 in his three overs, Mahendra Monilall one for six and

Better Hope’s token resistance saw only two players reaching double figures, Troy Gobin with 19 and Nick Sarwan 13 as the others players failed to come to grips with the impressive Mercenary bowling attack. Extras totalled a healthy 31.

Azam Haniff was the main destroyer with three for 23 runs from two overs while Mahendranauth “Bobby” Parsnauth, skipper Amit Rukhram and Latif supported with one wicket each.
At the presentation ceremony which followed, Latif was awarded the trophy for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) on the winning team while Ramkissoon copped the MVP for Better Hope.
Both the winning and runner-up teams were presented with trophies while members of the winning combination were also recipient of medals.

OSCL President, Shiv Persaud, who was on hand to witness the final, also distributed the awards. Persaud congratulated both the winners and runner-up for their participation in the tournament.
Persaud expressed sincere thanks to Trophy Stall Guyana and Markham for their generous support gesture in providing the trophies for the final.