Defending champions Ariel Speedboat and Regal Masters retained their Open and Masters titles respectively when the second Prime Minster Softball Cup concluded last evening at the Everest Cricket Club Ground.
Speedboat took the Open All-Star final and pocketed the winner’s purse of $700, 000 after defeating Boots XI by nine wickets.
Speedboat, needing 126 for victory, reached the target for the loss of one wicket courtesy of a savage unbeaten 78 from Wazir Hassian who employed the sweep shot with a measure of cruelty by dispatching anything that within his range with disdain.
His brutal innings included eight sixes and four fours and he shared in an unbroken second-wicket stand of 96 with Shazim Hassian (32) as the duo lifted their side to a commanding triumph. Earlier, Boots XI won the toss and elected to bat and posted a meagre 125 for nine when their overs ended.
Only former Berbice off-spinner Balram Samaroo contributed anything of substance with a score of 55 which included four sixes and a solitary four.
He received support from Keith Fraser (22) as Kishore Singh (3-24), and Wazir Hussain (3-14) shared six wickets between them to limit Boots XI to a less than par score.
Meanwhile, the Master’s final saw Regal Masters regaining their Master’s title by defeating Mike’s Wellman XI by 15 runs in another exciting encounter.
Regal, who batted first, recovered from 25 for three to post 145 for five from their allotted 20 overs.
Mohendra Arjune (44) and David Harper (53) were the men responsible for the recovery after they shared in a 65-run, fifth-wicket stand as Regal swatted 98 runs from their final 10 overs to record what in the end was a winning total.
Arjune’s innings included six fours and a maximum while Harper’s knock included three fours and four sixes. Imtiaz Mohamed (3-17) spearheaded Mikes’ bowling effort.
Mike’s in their failed attempt to dethrone Regal, saw their innings ending on 130 – 9 when their overs ended. Arjune returned to grab 4-28 and complete an excellent all-around effort to ensure that his side retained their Masters’ title.
