Regal are KPL softball champs

Feb 01, 2017 Sports

By Zaheer Mohamed
Regal were crowned champions of the KPL Softball tournament which concluded

The victorious Regal open and masters’ teams. (Zaheer Mohamed photo)

on Sunday at Everest Cricket Club.
Regal All Stars defeated Mike’s All Stars by 46 runs in the open final while in the Masters’ category Regal overcame Mike’s Wellman by nine runs.
Led by 38 from Roohit Dutchin and 32 from Safraz Esau, Regal All Stars posted 127-7 off their allotted 10 overs, batting first. Following the demise of opener Navin Singh (02) with the score on three, Esau added 52 for the second wicket with Vishnu Tammechandra to steady the innings before Esau was dismissed after smashing two fours and three sixes. Regal All Stars then lost Wazir Husain (00) and Tammechandra for 19, but Dutchin beefed up the innings hitting five fours and one six as Greg Singh captured 3-24. In reply, Mike’s All Stars were reduced to 10-3 before Chien Gittens struck 31 and W. Edwards 22, but their efforts were not enough as Mike’s Allstars finished on 81-4. Timure Mohamed picked up two wickets, while Privnauth Motilall and Kelvin Olford had one each. Dutchin was voted the man-of-the-match.
Regal All Stars beat De Hoop by 70 runs in their semi final encounter. Batting first, Regal All Stars rattled up 160-3. Esau stroked one four and seven sixes in a top score of 54, while Navin Singh scored 41, Roohit Dutchin 24, Marvin Bobb 20 and Wazir Hussain 16. De Hoop were restricted to 90-8 in reply. Motilall snared three wickets while Hussain had two.

The runner up Mike’s Wellman. (Zaheer Mohamed photo)

Mike’s All Stars overcame Farm by six wickets in the second semi final. Farm made 103-7, taking first strike. Greg Singh and Imran Hussain captured three and two wickets respectively. Mike’s All Stars responded with 104-4 in 9.5 overs. Gittens slammed 41 and Singh made 20.
In the Masters’ final, Regal took first strike and posted 134 all out in 14.5 overs. Raymond Harper and Eric Thomas added 31 for the third wicket after they were reduced to 27-2 before Thomas fell for 11 and Harper for 19. Mahendra Arjune struck five sixes in a top score of 33 while David Harper made 15 and Rudolph Baker 14. Sheldon Perch snared 3-22 and Latchman Kallicharran 2-16.
Pacer Laurie Singh picked up three early wickets as Mike’s Wellman found themselves in some trouble at 27-3, but Lloyd Rooplall and Wayne Jones resurrected the chase with a fourth wicket stand of 42 before Jones was taken off Ricky Persaud for seven. However, Kallicharran continued to play his shots and along with Perch kept their team in the hunt before Persaud uprooted the stumps of Perch for 26. Regal bowlers maintained a steady line and as Mike’s Wellman were bowled out for 125 in 14.5 overs. Rooplall hit three fours and four sixes in scoring 41 as Persaud finished with 3-18, Singh 3-29 and David Harper 2-20; Harper was named man-of-the-match.
Regal Masters got the better of Parika-Amazon by 62 runs in the semi final. Regal Masters took first turn at the crease and scored 180-4. Fazleem Mohamed cracked 52 not out, Thomas made 41 and Baker 37. K. Persaud had 2-16.
Parika Amazon responded with 118-5. B. Singh made 43 as Mahendra Arjune captured 2-23.
Mike’s Wellman beat Savage by four runs in their semi final match up. Mike’s Wellman made 109 all out, batting first with Jones scoring 32 and Nandram Samall 21. Savage got to 105-8 in reply. K. Luke made 28 and T. Ramsaywack 20 as Motilall Chumandatt grabbed 3-14.