Regal, Wellman in O-40 final, Regal, Parika Defenders in O-50 final
When the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc., President’s Softball T20 tournament concludes today Regal will feature in each of the three finals.
In the All-Stars division, Regal will meet Speedboat and they will also face Wellman in the Masters’ category and Parika Defenders in the Legends’ division.
In the first All-Star semi-final, Regal scampered to a one-wicket win over Venom with a wide sending them to the final.
Venom won the toss and elected to bat first with drizzles sweeping across the Queen’s College ground. Venom posted 157-8 in their 20-over allotment while Regal reached 158 for nine with two overs to spare.
Controversy was evident from the get-go with former national youth goalkeeper, Quazy Yusuf refusing to leave the crease after a controversial caught behind was given. However, after a 15-minute resistance, Yusuf was back in the shed and paved the way for cameos from Akeem Vieira who top scored with 31 and Dhanraj Singh who chipped in with 21 from 12 balls. Ravindra Ramnauth was the principal bowler with 4-30 and was supported by Karamchand Persaud with 2-15.
In the chase, Regal were in a spot of bother after losing Ricardo Adams without a run on the board. They slipped further with consistent opener, Sachin Singh, along with Fazal Rafeek, falling off of successive deliveries from Calvin Walcott (2-47).
However, Rickey ‘Tar’ Sargeant steadied the innings with a pugnacious 42 from 31-balls. His innings featured two sixes and five fours, mostly compliments of the sweep shot before he was bowled by Jitendra Baljoda.
Sewchand Budhu (29) and Kelvin Orford (10) continued but were both dismissed by Dhanraj Singh (2-42). Nevertheless, Ramnauth (29) and Delroy Perreira (22) looked set to bring the match home until Sachin Persaud bagged two quick wickets and a run out to bring the equation down to one wicket and one run from two overs before a wide was bowled to send Regal through.
Earlier, Venom left the group stages undefeated after beating Essequibo Wild Oats by 79 runs. Venom batted first after winning the toss and posted 159 for nine in their allotted overs. Yusuf and Ershaad Ali top scored with 25 runs each while Daniel Wallace picked up 3-31.
In the chase, Wild Oats were booted for 80 in 13.3 overs as Walcott, Baljoda, Sachin Persaud picked up two wickets each. Regal moved into the final with a massive 168-run win over Hillfoot. Regal posted 304 for 5 after winning the toss and opting to bat. Regal were indebted to half centuries from Sachin Singh (88), Budhu (69), Sargeant (59 not out) and Ramnauth (54 not out.) Vickey Ragubeer and Daniel Sarjoo bagged two wickets each.
Hillfoot were skittled for 136 in 18.4 overs with the Ramnauth cousins, Diyaram (4-14) and Ravindra (3-32) piloting Regal’s bowling. Sajoo resisted with a 34-ball 45.
Controversy also dominated the third round contest between Ariel XI and Speedboat which led to Ariel XI staging an on-field protest from their loss on technicality.
According to the officials, Ariel submitted a list of 10 players but played with 11 which was only recognized halfway through the 12th over when Eon Hooper had already started his over only to find out that he was not declared on the team list. At that stage, Speedboat declared they would play the game under protest.
Speedboat, who played undefeated were asked to bat and reached 168 for nine with Shazim Hussain stroking five sixes and three fours on his way to an even half century and was supported by Navin Singh (37) and Safraz Esau (32). Andy Narine bagged 3-12 while Brian Mangar and Bobby Prahadlall picked up two wickets a piece.
In the chase, Ariel reached 169 for five with seven balls to spare as Hooper and Quinten Sampson stroked 45 and 44 runs respectively while sharing in a 68-run partnership. Mark Harold bagged 2-55 and Ian Ivan returned 2-55.
After the match, the arguments were heard by both sides by the technical committee which ultimately decided to award the game to Speedboat based on the declaration of the list. President of the League, Ian John had proposed a five-over battle to decide the fate of the two teams but that was rejected by Speedboat.
In the semi-final, Speedboat motored to a 104-run win over Cosscutters to book their spot in today’s final.
Cosscutters won the toss and opted to field with the match reduced to an 18-over affair since the protest lasted nearly two hours.
Nevertheless, Speedboat piled on 240 for five from their allotment and contained Cosscutters to 136 all out in 15.4 overs.
Speedboat were propelled by a blistering century from opener, Navin Singh who laced eight sixes and nine fours on his way to 105. The century maker was supported by skipper, Wazim Hussain (43), Vickash Dhaniram (32) and Peter Allen (25 not out). Arif Samad and R. Jairam bagged two wickets each for 38 and 54 runs respectively.
In the chase, Cosscutters were kept quite as Safraz Hussain (2-12) and Harold (2-22) made scoring difficult. Ajay Persaud (36) and Travis Alphonso (24) were the only batsmen to get a substantive score.
Meanwhile in the Over-40 Masters category, Regal Masters beat Ariel Masters by nine wickets following Chien Gittens’ unbeaten 61 at Everest Cricket Club. In the second semi-final at the same venue, Wellman defeated Fishermen by 27 runs to book their spot in the final.
In the Over-50 Legends division, Regal defeated President’s XI by nine wickets in a low-scoring affair at Demerara Cricket Club after keeping the New York-based team to 103 for four in their quota and reaching 106 for one in 15.1 overs following Mahendra Chunilall unbeaten 52.
In the second semi-final of the category, Parika Defenders stormed to an eight-run win over Wellman to book their spot in the final.
Parika posted 192 all out after a collapse from 143 for five after 15 overs with Ramesh Narine stroking 94 and Romeo Malone hitting 62. Imtiaz Mohamed and Lester Thom picked up 3-31 each.
Wellman were cruising at the half-way stage with the score 93 for two but slipped to 134 for four after 15 overs and eventually fell behind the scoring rate to end with 186 for seven when their overs ended.
Lloyd Ruplall made 33 and Gopaul Deen chipped in with 26 while Malone returned to take 3-30. The action concludes today at Everest with all three finals.
