The annual Prime Minister’s Softball T20 Cup returns for its third year and will have an additional category, Legends Over-50. The tournament will run from November 1-3.
The competition, which will be held under the auspices of the Guyana Softball Cricket League (GSCL), will have increased prizes across divisions, according to President Ian John.
There is the addition of an Over-50 category (Legends), which will cater for three persons aged 49, and in Over-45, two players over the age of 43 would be allowed in the playing XI.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo noted that the competition has grown from strength to strength and made reference to the attractive prizes at stake, and the addition of the Over-50 as a great positive for the older generation.
The winning team in the Open segment will take home a trophy and $500,000, while the runner-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 of the Over-45 segment will get a trophy and $500,000, and the runner-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 Television.
The Over-50 winners will be given a trophy and $300,000, and the runner-up a trophy and $50,000. The Man-of-the-Match will collect a trophy and $10,000 and the MVP one gold bracelet.
Social Cohesion Minister Dr. George Norton said softball cricket has made tremendous growth over the past few years and he is quite pleased that it serves as an extra curricula activity for Guyanese.
A total of 24 teams will contest the tournament. Teams from New York, Canada, Orlando, Florida, Berbice and Georgetown have confirmed their participation.
Matches will be played at Police Sports Club, YMCA, Everest Cricket Club, Gandhi Youth Organisation, GNIC Sports Club, Malteenoes Sports Club, Demerara Cricket Club, and possibly at Enmore.
Teams will be divided into two groups in each category and will play each other once after which the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
Each group will consist of eight teams. Both off-break and leg-break (round-arm) bowling will be allowed, but ‘chucking’ will not be accepted and the umpires will be very strict on this rule.
While no entrance fee is required for the competition, teams will be asked to make a deposit of $60,000 as collateral for their participation in the tournament, which will be refunded after the preliminary round matches on the second day of the competition.
The GSCL Inc. will also be looking at match-fixing seriously since there have been instances where teams fixed games to allow another team to go through to the semi-finals.
Following the semi-finals on November 2, the finals will be held on November 3 at Everest Cricket Club, commencing with the Over-50 category from 10:00h.
This will be followed by the Over-45 final from 13:30h, while the Open final will be played under lights from 18:00h.
Last year, Regal Masters and Ariel Speedboat XI retain their respective titles in the Masters (Over-45) and All Stars categories.
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, USA Cricket Zone, Krsna and Balram Printery and Hero Motorcycle- Rose Ramdehol.
