Inaugural Region Two President’s Cup 5/5 Tapeball bowls off this weekend

The inaugural Region Two President’s Cup 5/5 Tapeball Tournament was officially launched on Monday at the Jaigobin Hotel Conference Hall in Essequibo.

The event saw key officials and organisers in attendance, including Region Two Vice-Chairman Humace Oodit, Prime Minister’s representative Arnold Adams, and tournament organisers Dr. Rambaraine Ragoobar, Azizi Christiani, Faraz Baksh, Ashmini Ramnarine and Yugeeta Oodit.

The tournament, which is scheduled to be held over two weekends- October 19-20 and 26-27- will take place under lights at the Affiance Number One Cricket Ground.

A total of 32 teams are expected to compete, among them Reliance Hustlers, Provider Viper, Renegades CC, Royal Strikers, Pomeroon All Stars, Movement Family Mahdia and AZSS Warriors.

This highly anticipated competition aims to bring the Region Two community together through the passion of cricket.

In his remarks, Adams expressed his enthusiasm for the tournament, stating that it will not only foster unity, but also serve as a platform for competitive and clean cricket.

He highlighted the importance of the tournament’s name, noting that the President is an avid cricket fan, making the naming of the cup after him fitting.

Adams also announced that Player-of-the-Match trophies, donated by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, will be awarded after each game to encourage individual excellence throughout the tournament.

Vice-Chairman Oodit praised the government’s efforts in promoting sport across the region and emphasised how cricket has played a pivotal role in achieving the ‘One Guyana’ vision.

He reiterated that the tournament reflects the government’s commitment to community building through sport.

Master of Ceremonies Dr. Ragoobar took the opportunity to outline the format of the competition. He noted that while the tournament is centered in Region Two, teams from outside the region have been invited to participate.

“The reason we are allowing teams from out of Region Two to be a part of the President’s Cup is to encourage sports tourism and provide our local players the opportunity to play against high-quality teams,” Ragoobar explained.

One of the highlights of the launch was the unveiling of the tournament trophy, designed by Christiani and fabricated by Dr. Ragoobar.

This custom-made trophy marks a significant milestone as it will be the first-ever tournament in Region Two to be played for a specially crafted prize.

In addition to the coveted trophy, the winning team will walk away with G$500,000 in cash, while the runners-up will pocket G$200,000. The Most Valuable Player of the tournament will receive a trophy and G$50,000.

Fixtures for the tournament will be released on Wednesday.

The Region Two President’s Cup 5/5 Tapeball Tournament promises to be a thrilling event that not only celebrates cricket, but also unites communities and promotes sportsmanship across Guyana.