The curtain came down on the fourth edition of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Incorporated Prime Minister’s T20 Cup yesterday at the Everest Ground with Speedboat All-Stars, Fishermen Masters and Regal Legends winning their respective categories.
With drizzles and heavy wind, it was a clash of past champions in the Open category. Inaugural champions, Speedboat cruised to a 31–run win over defending champions, Regal All-Stars in the Open category to pocket the $200,000 first prize. In each of the three categories, the player of the series walked home with a smart television while the runners up carted off $50,000.
Safraz Karim steered Speedboat’s ship to 201 for six while Speedboat’s bowlers contained Regal to just 170 for six when their overs ended.
Karim navigated a difficult first half for Speedboat as they reached 109 at the 15th over but a 79-run partnership with Ameer Yusuf gave the West Demerara-based side an imposing total.
Karim belted five sixes and one four during his unbeaten 71 while Yusuf struck a 13-ball 51 not out, laced with seven sixes to see Speedboat plunder 68 runs from the last four overs.
In Reply, Regal were given a good start as their openers raced to 28 without loss in the 2.1 overs possible before rain forced a 10-minute loss of play.
When the match resumed, Speedboat pressed on the accelerator and stifled Regal’s batting order. Delroy Perreira battled gamely with a top score of 47 while late cameos from Avinash Mohabir (22 not out) and Ricky Sargeant (21) failed to keep the asking rate from climbing.
Ian Ivan and Kishore Smith were the principal wicket takers for Speedboat with two wickets each for 29 and 30 runs respectively.
Meanwhile, in a match dubbed the best final in the history of the tournament, Fishermen Masters held their nerve to secure a three-run win over Wellman Masters.
In a single-handed batting effort from Keith Fraser, Fishermen sailed to 240 for four in their 20-over allotment while a healthy partnership between Greg De Franca and Troy Lewis was not enough as Wellman ended on 137 for four when their overs ended.
Frazer dropped anchor at the top of the innings with a masterful 178 not out. The left-handed Berbician slammed 30 boundaries, half of which went flush over the boundary ropes and on the John Ramsingh Media Centre towards the square leg boundary as he brought out the broom to sweep and reverse sweep.
Frazer’s Man-of-the-Match performance capped a splendid tournament which saw him copping the Man-of-the-Series award for scoring 274 runs and taking two wickets.
In the chase, Wellman were off to a flyer with 20 runs coming off the first three legal deliveries but with a wicket falling in the same over, it was neck-and-neck.
De Franca also favoured the legside, flicking anything marginally straying on his toes on his way to 108. His innings featured 13 sixes and four fours before he was bowled by Pooran Singh (2-59).
De Franca was supported by Lewis who kicked on from their century stand to make 87, highlighted by seven sixes and five fours. With 11 runs needed from the final over, Stanley Mohabir bowled a tight over and removed both Lewis and Lloyd Ruplall (16).
In the other final, Regal Legends retained their over-50 ‘Legends’ title after comfortably beating Savage Legends by five wickets.
Savage lacked ferociousness as they managed a sub-par 126 for seven from their 20 overs while Regal showed their experience to glide to 128 for five in just 16.5 overs.
Regal’s chase was piloted by Mahesh Chunilall who made a polished 51, decorated with three sixes and four fours while an unbeaten 27-run cameo from Randolph Baker sealed the title. Seemangal Yadram was the pick of the bowler, returning two for 21.
Earlier, Man-of-the-Series, Eric Thomas, was the principal bowler for Regal with two for 11. Thomas bagged five wickets throughout the tournament but was deadly with bat in hand as he hammered two centuries in the earlier matches to end with 255 runs.
Thomas’ efforts in the final was supported by Panshan Persaud (2-14) and Mahendra Hardyal (2-28). Nadir Baksh top scored for Savage with 31 not out, laced with two sixes and two fours. He was supported by the Yadram brothers, Seemangal and Latchman who made 24 runs each.
