In brilliant sunshine on Friday morning Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, bowled the first ball and played the first shot to officially declare open the fifth annual Prime Minister Softball T20 Cup at the Muslim Youth Organisation ground, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown.
Over the next three days, local and foreign teams will go at each in three categories, with the action culminating under lights at the National Stadium on Sunday evening.
As he has done since assuming office, PM Phillips greeted the teams and delivered brief remarks before heading off to another engagement.
“This tournament started before I become Prime Minister; this tournament I can assure you will continue as long as I am Prime Minister,” he said to resounding applause.
“As long as I am Prime Minister I will ensure that I support this tournament and lead from the front, so as you compete among yourself compete with the assurance that this tournament will be a fixture for as long as you can play cricket.”
Prime Minister Phillips said this year’s competition would be one with a difference, as fully vaccinated fans would be allowed to view the finals on Sunday.
The Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc. is the organising body of the competition. Its president Ian John urged the teams to display good sportsmanship and pay strict adherence to the COVID-19 guidelines.
“We want a clean tournament, a very friendly tournament where we can establish good relationships and it’s important we play the game with the rules and regulations as stipulated,” John said.
General information
The categories being contested are the Legends Over-50, Masters Over-45 and the Open. Eight teams are battling in the Over-50 category, six each in the Over-45 and Open division.
The teams have been divided into two groups in each category, and the top two teams from each group will go through to the semi-finals.
In the Over-50 category, Floodlights, Regal, Wellman and NY Hustlers are in Group A, while Orlando Legends, NYSCL Legends, Rockaway and Carpet Doctors are in Group B.
In the Over-45 segment, NY Doctors, Ariel Masters and Fisherman have been drawn in Group A, while Success Masters, Essequibo and Regal Masters are in Group B.
In the Open segment, Speedboat, Name Brand and Regal comprise Group A, while Group B consists of Success, Airport and Ariel.
In the Over-50, the teams will play each other once in their respective groups, while in the Over-45 and Open divisions, the teams from Group A will battle those in Group B once.
