The Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc., will host their third Prime Minister’s T20 Cup from November 1-3 in Georgetown and several top local teams will battle for supremacy against their counterparts from New York, Canada and Florida.
The tournament, which was launched recently at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation Sports Club, does not require clubs paying an entrance fee, but participating teams must make a deposit of $60,000 as collateral which will be refunded after the preliminary round matches on the second day of the competition.
According to GSCL Inc., President Ian John, the fee is a guarantee that the teams registered will be participating fully.
John said there were issues where teams that were listed on the fixtures, pulled out at the last minute which caused some hiccups, since it was difficult to find replacements at the last minute.
The teams listed to participate are asked to make this deposit on or before September 27 to the organisers at GSCL Inc., at 69 Seaforth Street, Campbellville.
The draw for the tournament, which is being held in collaboration with the National Sports Commission and the Ministry of the Presidency Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport, will be held October 13.
The competition will see play in the Over-45, Over-50 and the Open categories and matches will be played at venues in Georgetown. For the Over-50 division, three players aged 49 will be accepted, while two players aged 43 will be accommodated in the playing XI in the Over 45 category.
Matches will be played at Police SC, YMCA, ECC, GYO, GNIC SC, MSC and DCC grounds.
The GSCL Inc., has indicated that both off-break and round-arm bowling will be allowed, but chucking will not be accepted and the umpires will be very strict on this rule as well as reports on match-fixing and teams turning up late for matches.
Off-field entertainment which included cheer leaders will be provided.
Regal Masters and Speedboat are the defending champions in the Over-45 and Open categories respectively.
The semi-finals will be held on November 2 and the finals November 3 at the Everest Cricket Club ground, commencing with the Over-50 category from 10:00hrs.
This will be followed by the Over-45 final from 13:30hrs while the Open final will be played under lights from 18:00hrs. There will be lots of giveaways for the fans.
The winning team in the Open segment will take home a trophy and $500,000 while the runners-up will receive a trophy and $100,000. The man-of-the-match in the final will receive a trophy and $10,000 and the MVP will be given one Hero Honda Motorcycle.
The champions in the Over-45 segment will pocket a trophy and $500,000 and the runners-up a trophy and $100,000. The man-of-the-match in the final will take home a trophy and $10,000 and the MVP one 55”smart TV.
The Over-50 division dubbed the legends category will see the winners receiving a trophy and $300,000 and the runners-up a trophy and $50,000. The man-of-the-match will receive a trophy and $10,000 and the MVP one gold bracelet.
Among the sponsors are Banks DIH, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre and Regal Sports, Crown Mining, Rajiv Gandhi University, Green Heart University, Star Party Rentals, Supreme Venture, Elegance Jewellery, Cyber Sports Pakistan, Ink Plus the computer store, Dyna’s Embroidery, KFC, USA Cricket Zone, Krsna and Balram Printery and Hero Motorcyle- Rose Ramdehol.
