THE ninth edition of the Prime Minister’s T20 Softball Cup swings into gear on Thursday with the women’s edition taking centre stage while the men will go into action on Friday at several venues across the city.
The draw for all the categories will be held today at the Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO), Woolford Avenue, Georgetown, starting at 11:00 hrs,
A total of 24 teams will be vying for supremacy in the four categories. The Open All Stars comprise Regal All Stars, Ariel/Speedboat All Stars, Name Brand Corriverton, Hyde Park All Stars, Bacchus All Stars, Success All Stars, Tourism Guyana Titans and Jai Hind All Stars. The four teams in the Over-40 Masters are Regal Masters, Ariel/Trophy Stall Masters, Avengers Masters and Essequibo Masters.
Regal Legends, New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) Legends, Parika Defenders, Jai Hind Legends, Fisherman Legends and Corriverton Legends are the teams battling in the Over-50 category. The six women’s team are Name Brand/Corriverton, Bacchus X1, Supreme Stars, Invaders, 4R Lioness and Circuitville.
As is the norm, Prime Minister Mark Phillips is scheduled to meet the teams and officials on Friday prior to the start of the three-day extravaganza before declaring the tournament open and delivering the ceremonial first ball. All participating teams are therefore required to be at the venue, which will be disclosed, properly attired for the occasion.
The Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc.-organised tournament has received the blessings of the Prime Minister’s office.
At the launching, held at the same venue earlier this month, Prime Minister Phillips hailed the continued growth of the competition, describing softball cricket as a “people’s game” that allows players across different age groups to participate.
“Over the years, I’m pleased to see this tournament grow into a truly people’s tournament.”
He also welcomed the growth of the female competition and committed his support to increasing the prize money for the women’s category to further encourage participation.
The prime minister also said the government’s continued investment in sporting infrastructure, spearheaded by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, provides greater scope for events such as the Prime Minister’s Cup to expand beyond their traditional venues. He noted that as more sporting facilities are developed and upgraded across the country, the tournament could broaden its national reach and accommodate more teams in the future.
The prime minister was also very supportive of the idea of naming one of the winners’ trophies in honour of the original brainchild of the tournament, Regal Stationery & Computer Centre’s Managing Director, Mahendra “Anil” Hardyal, a suggestion put forward by GSCL Vice-president John Ramsingh.
Fierce competition is expected in all the categories as teams vie for supremacy, with the respective defending champions being Linden’s Supreme Stars in the Women, Ariel Masters in the Over-40 and Berbice’s Jai Hind in the Legends Over-50. The 2024 Open champions Speedboat have since joined forces with Ariel, making them a very formidable combination.
Apart from the Police Sports Club ground, the other venues set to be used are Queen’s College, YMCA, Transport Sports Club, Demerara Cricket Club, Malteenoes Sports Club and Gandhi Youth Organisation.
Among the sponsors are: Trophy Stall, I&S Trading, Tourism Guyana, Guy Drones, Andy and Amrit Furniture Store, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, ARD Auto Sales/ARD YouTuber Dhanny Persaud, Chung’s Global Inc., Regal Super Centre, Freelancer Advertising Agency, Crown Mining Supplies, Cricket Zone USA, Rajiv Ghandhi University, Price Chopper Variety Store, Banks DIH Ltd- GT Beer and Banks Beer, Elegant Jewellery and Pawn Shop, Unique Electrical and General Store, House of Gold and Gift Centre, New Doctor’s Clinic , Aagman Restaurant, Platinum Engineering and Reliance Services. (Frederick Halley)