Latest update December 19th, 2024 3:22 AM
Regal upbeat ahead of NYSCL Independence tourney
Mahendra Hardyal
By Zaheer Mohamed
Regal will looking to keep the Golden Arrow Head aloft when they journey to the United States of America to participate in the New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) Annual Independence Cup later this month.
Regal will be fielding two teams, the Masters and All stars in the tournament which will commence on June 29 and conclude on July 1. Regal became the first team to win both Masters and All stars titles on foreign soil. Following their double success in the Guyana Softball Cup in 2016, they repeated the feat in the NYSCL tournament the said year. They went on to win both titles in the South Florida Softball Cricket League in 2017 and captured the All stars title, while taking the runner up spot in the Masters segment of the Orlando Softball Cricket League earlier this year.
While their preparation has been somewhat affected by the inclement weather, Captain of the Masters team Mahendra Hardyal told Kaieteur Sport yesterday that while the All stars have been pegged back slightly with the absence of a few players who have opted to play for overseas teams, the Masters’ is very confident of going all the way and will not be taking any team for granted. “We know what to expect, other teams will definitely come hard at us but we always relish the challenges,” he said.
Anand Persaud
He added that the players will be looking at the possibility of having a few net sessions on the tarmac due to most grounds being in a soggy state. “Every player is capable enough of holding their own; it’s just about getting the players to gel. One of the main factors will be to play as a unit and stick to the game plan. The team is a balanced one and I am confident we will go the distance this time around.”
When quizzed about what areas he would like the team to improve in, Hardyal said there is always room for improvement. “There are a few areas we have to work on especially the way which the batmen apply themselves. Our bowling looks good and I am confident they can restrict oppositions.”
While the composition of the foreign teams is not yet known, Hardyal feels another Guyanese team defending champions Floodlights will be a main treat in the tournament. “I can only speak for the teams here, but definitely the overseas will come harder this time around,” he stated.
The Masters team includes Laurie Singh, Rudolph Baker, Troy Kippins, Eric Thomas and Mahase Chunilall, David Harper and Parsram Persaud.
The experience trio of Richard Latif, Safraz Esau and Navin Singh has opted to play for foreign teams and while they have been instrumental in Regal All stars success in the past, their absence may not be missed much since their replacements, Lennox Marks, Shilander Ramnauth and Nandsham Boodhoo are capable of filling the gaps. Manager of the Allstars unit that took the runner up spot in last year’s tournament Anand Persaud said his players are eager to go. “Despite the loss of those players, the team still remains a balance one,” he informed. Persaud expressed confidence of winning the title but added they will not be taking teams for granted.
The All stars team will be led by Rohit Dutchin and includes Sachin Singh, Fazal Rafiek and Patrick Roopall.
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