Floodlight Masters Sunday warmed up for the upcoming seventh annual Guyana Softball Cup tournament by winning Sunday’s four-team Jai Hind Cricket Club fund-raising softball tournament in Berbice.
In a tense and exciting final Floodlights, in fading light, got home by a mere three runs in the final against Wellman Masters in the specially arranged 15 overs-a-side tournament.
Floodlight won the toss, batted first and scored 144 for 6 wickets off their allotted 15 overs.
Floodlights owed their eventual total to the brilliance of Ramesh Narine who top scored with an unbeaten 66, an innings which included seven fours and three sixes. He received support from Uniss Yusuf whose 41 included three fours and four sixes. Skipper Ricky Deonarain chipped in with an unbeaten knock of 12.
In reply, Wellman remained in the hunt through Lloyd Rooplall who batted magnificently until he was run for 48. Greg DeFranca supported with 20 while Jagdish Persaud scored 22. Three run outs hurt Wellman’s run chase.
Earlier, in the first semi-final, home team Albion Masters lost to Floodlights Masters by 21 runs. The visitors lost the toss and were inserted to take first strike. Yusuf started like a bullet from a gun racing to 42 with five sixes and one four and, along with Troy Ramsaywack, gave his team a solid start of 42.
After Yusuf was caught on the square leg boundary, the run rate slowed up and Floodlights Masters ended on 132 for 6 off their allotted 15 overs. Essequibo’s prolific all-rounder Narine supported with 22 and Patrick Khan 14. Bowling for Albion Masters R Mangli took 2 for 18 off three overs.
The home team in reply lost wickets regularly ending on 111 for 9. Mangli, who threatened briefly, made 21 and Zaheer Hussain, 32. Clive Canterbury took 4 for 17.
In the second semi-final, Wellman Masters made light work of Parika Defenders winning by nine wickets.
The East Bank Essequibo based team won the toss and batted first making 95 all out. At one stage, they were 54 for 9 when Fazil Baksh came to the crease and brought respectability to the score contributing 28 not out. In reply, Patrick Rooplall stroked a fine half century to lead the visitors to a comfortable win.
At the presentation ceremony of that followed, members of the Floodlights Association made a donation of $75,000.00 to the event. Trophies for the winning team and runners- up were presented. Ramesh Narine took the MVP and Man-of-the-Match in the final awards. Some of the sponsors were Permaul Trading, Trophy Stall, Hussain Poultry and Massy Distribution.
