ARIEL/Trophy Stall Masters continued their dominance in the Masters Over-40 category with another clinical win over archrivals Regal Masters to claim top honours in the Vice-president T20 Softball Cup, organised by the Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL), which ended at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground, Queenstown, Georgetown on Sunday.
Led by a majestic 84 from Richard Latif, popularly known in softball circuit as “Mr. Cricket” and an equally brilliant 63 from Chien Gittens, the eventual champions comfortably chased down the required 216 for nine made by Regal Masters after skipper Samuel Kingston inserted the Campbellville-based side to take first strike.
In reply, Regal Masters tasted success in the very first over, with Balram Roopnarine sending back Samuel Kingston, the lone centurion in the category, bowled for two.
Regal’s celebrations were however short-lived as Latif joined Gittens, who recently returned from a remarkable stint in Canada, the two putting on a masterful display in batsmanship, adding 90 for the second wicket.
Gittens, in particular, was adept in both the conventional and reverse sweeps, the latter eventually causing his demise after he struck 10 fours and one six as Ariel/Trophy Stall reached 98 for two in the 10th over.
Undaunted by the dismissal of his partner, Latif went into over-drive as he dominated an 80-run third wicket partnership with Sheldon Adams before perishing to Balram. His 84 was decorated with 11 fours and three sixes off 40 balls.
Despite a few jitters, Adams with an unbeaten 29, with three fours and a six and Harrynarine Dilchand with 23 not out, which included two sixes, saw their team home in 18.3 overs. Balram ended with two for 30.
Earlier, Regal Masters suffered in the very first over, losing the key scalps of Patrick Rooplall (5) and Nicholas Chase (0) while Lennox Mark (11) went in the third as they slipped to 23 for three.
Essequibian Vishan Lall held the middle-order together with a defiant 47 from 32 balls which included three fours and three sixes while Lincoln Leander spanked two fours and four sixes in a top score of 48, batting at number eight as Regal Masters reached 215 for nine when their 20 overs expired. Shawin Hubbard and Kingston claimed two wickets each for 43 runs.
Ariel/Trophy Stall Masters took home $300,000 and the winner’s trophy while Regal Masters got $100,000 and the runner-up trophy. Latiff took the coveted man-of-the-match trophy.
All trophies for the entire tournament were donated by Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall. (Frederick Halley).
