By Jeff Trotman
Hill Top secured the first prize of $33, 000 which was pooled by the three male teams participating in a softball cricket extravaganza at Maple Town, Aroaima on December 8th while Ituni Village Warriors captured bragging rights among the four featured female teams.
The male final between Wiruni and Hill Top began around 9.05 PM under floodlights with Hill Top taking first strike. However, the expected aggression from Hill Top did not materialize as the team struggled to 95 for 7 in its allotted ten overs with the top score of 34 coming from extras while Hinds’ 22 was the leading contribution from the bat.
In reply, Wiruni lost wickets at regular intervals in a valiant attempt to score rapidly and were all out in the final over at 70 to lose by 25 runs.
In the female final, Aroaima won the toss and sent Ituni in to bat. Ituni made 94 – 2 off ten overs with D. Daniels top scoring with 34. In reply, Aroaima lost their pugnacious opener M. John by the run out route for nought in the first over and laboured to 75- 4 in their allotted 10 overs to lose by 19 runs.
Preliminary round
In the first female preliminary match, Aroaima defeated Wiruni by 72 runs to reach the final. The home team batted first and made 103 for 2 off its allotted ten overs. John, the petite opening batsman for Aroaima, rode her luck with aggressive, lofted shots and was dropped on three occasions as she top- scored with 72 not out.
In response, Wiruni made 81 for 7 in ten overs with V. Agard top scoring with 34 not out. T. Hartman was the main wicket taker for Aroaima with four wickets. Aroaima won by 22 runs.
In the second game Ituni Village Warriors won the toss and sent in United Warriors of Calcuni, who made 69 for 6 in ten overs. Ituni made 71 for 4 in 9.2 overs to win by six wickets and secure a match up with Aroaima in the final.
With only three male teams in the competition, Wiruni received a bye into the final. The home team, Aroaima and Hill Top had to battle for a place in the final. Aroaima won the toss and made the tactical mistake of sending in the visitors to bat in daylight.
Hill Top made 144 – 5 in ten overs in the fading late afternoon light, helped by lusty hitting from Narine and Persaud – 34 apiece – and Hinds 36. In reply, the home team struggled under less than desirous light and were 24 for 4 in the fourth over when rain interrupted play for almost an hour. When play resumed Aroaima could only muster 73 – 8 to lose by 71runs.
Only seven instead of the expected twenty teams participated in the extravaganza that was organized by the Linden Softball League. According to Mortimer Denny of the Linden Softball League, the extravaganza which was expected to begin at 9.00 A.M. and last until well past 11.00 P.M, was expected to feature nine female teams and eleven male teams.
Toshao of the Wikki-Calcuni community, Anil Wilson said that the Calcuni male team could not participate in the extravaganza because the 15-horse power engine that would have been used on one of the boats to transport players and supporters was stolen early that Sunday morning.
Wilson, who played with the Wiruni team in the male final said that Calcuni usually uses four boats, powered by outboard engines, to transport players and spectators for the 35 mile up river trip to Aroaima. He said they left the engines – two 40 hp and two 15 hp Yamaha outboard motors – on the boats in preparation for the trip but when they were ready to travel to Aroaima, they discovered that one 15-hp engine was missing.
Meanwhile, Denny opined that it is difficult to hold softball cricket competitions in Region Ten because of the lack of sponsorship. He, however, said that the Linden Softball League will be more vibrant after the event at Aroaima.
Noting that softball does not need a finished pitch like hardball cricket, Denny said it is possible to have more competitions in Linden and Region Ten at West Watooka, Christianburg and Bayrock. He said it is also possible to utilize the seating accommodation at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground for finals.
