By Frederick Halley

DEFENDING champions Guyana Softball Cricket Association(GFSCA) made it two in a row with a crushing nine-wicket victory over archrivals Regal All Stars Masters when the seventh edition of the Guyana Softball Cup climaxed at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground last evening.

Set a moderate 102 for victory after restricting Regal for 101 for nine in their allotted 20 overs, GFSCA rushed to their target in 12.3 overs with opener Yunis Usuf unbeaten with an attractive 61, decorated with six fours and two sixes. Regal’s lone wicket was that of Ravi Lutchman who was bowled for five in the fourth over.

Thereafter, it was the Usuf show as he singlehandedly took his team to victory and the coveted $600,000 first prize. Usuf shared an unbeaten stand of 76 with veteran Ramesh Narine (12) as the GFSCA players and supporters celebrated yet another victory over Regal after also defeating them in New York earlier this year.

Earlier, Regal innings started disastrously after they were asked to take first strike, losing the wickets of the in-form Mahase Chunilall ((0), bowled by Clyde Canterbury and then Mahendra Hardyal (0), run out at the non-striker’s end without facing a delivery.
Things got even worse when David Harper and skipper Mahendra Arjune ended up in the same crease as the former became the second run out victim with just four runs on the board in the second over.

Arjune and Eon Abel (18) tried desperately to repair the innings, adding 45 for the fourth wicket before Abel departed. Thereafter, wickets fell at regular intervals as GFSCA kept a tight rein on the proceedings.

Arjune eventually went, stumped for a top score of 30, the ball richocheting off the wicketkeeper’s foot unto the stumps. Raymond Harper (15) and Eric Thomas (11) had starts but failed to build on them as Regal were restricted to 101 for 9, a total that proved inadequate at the end.
The game was marred by an injury to Regals’ David Harper, who was trying to retrieve a ball from the boundary and injured his shoulder and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.

Karibee girls started the day’s action by winning from Trophy Stall Angels by 12 runs, while Blairmont made it a double for Berbice by inflicting a crushing 88-run win over Georgetown Cricket Club in the Under-13 final, the first of its kind since the commencement of the tournament seven years ago.