SVC NY/ International Softball Cup…
By John Ramsingh
A 13-ball unbeaten 50 and a tidy spell of bowling from Sewchand Budhu hand Regal All-Stars the first ever SVC International Softball Cup when the finals were played last Sunday November 5, at the Hydronie Sports Club ground, East Bank Essequibo.
The inaugural International Softball Cup which was organised by Sawh Volt Comm (SVC) of New York City, from November 3 to 5 with eight teams and saw Regal All-Stars beating SVC in the final by 35 runs to win the majestic trophy and Gy$700,000 first prize.
In the final which was also played at the Hydronie ground, Regal All-Stars won the toss and batted and rattled up 204 for 6 from their 20 overs. They city side found the bowling and fielding of the overseas team challenging and lost wickets regularly early up. In the 17th over, Budhu made his appearance after Regal lost Patrick Rooplall via the run out route for 24 (3×6; 1×4) and Navin Singh (0) who was sent back next ball without facing a ball with the score on 143 for 5.
Budhu then hit five sixes and three fours on his way to an even half century and along with Safraz Esau was also run out in the 20th over added 60 runs for the sixth wicket in just over three overs. Esau made a rapid 36 (5×6) to push the champions past the 200-run mark.
Earlier, Regal were 76 for three when Fazal Rafeek (11) was caught at the wicket off the economical Travis Drakes who finished with figures 4-0-14-1 while openers Sachin Singh (13) and Richard Latif (21) tried their best to get things going. Azad Azeez was expensive in picking up two for 53.
In the run chase, crowd favourite SVC were never allowed to free their arms on the small ground thanks to superb bowling which was backed up by excellent fielding. Anil Beharry blasted the top score of 28 (2×6; 1×4) at number nine and Jake Wessel with 15 not out (1×6; 1×4) at number 11 offered any resistance to Ameer Nizamudain (3-37), Budhu (2-26) and Delroy Perreira (2-40) as SVC finished on 169 for 9 when their overs ran out to give Regal the inaugural championship by 35 runs.
The final day of a wonderful tournament started with Hydronie Masters beating Essequibo Masters to take the Masters’ title with Dubraj Singh being adjudged the Man of the Match and best bowler with 3 for 10 from three overs while Dalip Singh who made 56 for Essequibo was the best batsman.
In the All-Stars’ category, the champions made a clean sweep of the individual prizes with Delroy Perriera who had 11 victims winning the prize for the bowler with the most wickets and Safraz Esau with 192 runs won the batsman with the most runs prize.
Esau who also picked up five wickets was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player while Budhu quite deservedly was the Man of the Match in the final.
SVC’s President, Sureain Sawh who is also the president of Enforcers Care, a charitable foundation said he was pleased with the level of competition and the skill displayed by all of the teams and promised a bigger and better tournament next year. Sawh who said that the tournament was planned in just two weeks was grateful for the assistance of all and to the weather for the success.
Children of the area were treated to free sweets, popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy and bouncy castle and school hampers while five elders received hampers.
