Essequibo’s Die Hard Brothers XI became the new Trophy Stall 15-overs-a-side countrywide softball champions when they defeated Rangers Sports Club of West Demerara in the final at the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground, Bourda on Saturday.
The new champions played unbeaten in the tournament which attracted 116 teams from around the country.
Die Hard Brothers XI won the toss and elected to bat and were quickly into their stride accumulating 22 runs off the first three overs bowled by opening bowlers Dhanraj Champalall and Diaram Persaud before losing the wicket of Dharshan Narine for five.
The other opening batsman, Patrick Rooplall, who was adjudged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament for scoring four consecutive centuries, played sensible cricket in his innings of 37 to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Die Hard then lost two quick wickets bringing Raymond Taylor (35) and Richard Patterson (27) together and the pair featured in an unbroken partnership of 69 from 36 balls to take their team to the eventual score of 136-4 in the allotted 15 overs.
Reaaz Karim was the best bowler for Rangers Sports Club with 2-24.
RSC began their reply overly cautious which brought about the downfall of Karim who was removed with the score on three for just one run.
Safraz Karim (46) batting at number four and opening batsman Ameer Nizamuddeen (31) featured in a 91-run partnership before Nizamuddeen demise.
Then, four runs later, Safraz Karim was caught on the mid- wicket boundary for 46.
Rangers soon fell behind the run rate even as Persaud tried to get his team to victory with a fighting 29 before the slipped to 125 – 6.
Taylor with his miserly bowling spell of 2 – 10 added to his batting performance earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.
The Individual awards went to Malcolm Gonsalves – Youngest Player, Oldest Player – Lance Adams, Street Boys XI – Most Disciplined Team and Mark Harold – Most Disciplined Player.