Mercenary beat Berbice Vipers to reach OSCL’s 15-overs knockout final

Jul 12, 2023 Sports

Kaieteur Sports – A sensational all-round performance by defending champions Mercenary was enough to humble Berbice Vipers in the lone A Division semi-final 15-overs Saturday at Ellesmere ground, Scarborough, Ontario.

Mercenary will now clash with Caribbean Sensation next Saturday at the same facility to bring the curtains down in this year’s edition of the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) knockout competition which began with six teams.

Amit Rukhram

Mercenary, a team that had an unforgettable season last year winning all four trophies, won the toss and invited Berbice Vipers to bat first. They only totalled up an inadequate 61 all out off 15-overs while the rampant Mercenary, in reply, galloped to 63-1 with a whopping 44 balls remaining.

Opener Canada-based Guyanese Avinash Sookdeo hit 24 to lead the way for Mercenary while Riaz Kadir finished off things in flamboyant fashion with an unbeaten 20 having arrived at the departure of Sookdeo.

Avish Rukhram and Sookdeo posted up a quick 29-run opening stand before Sookdeo was nicely taken by Omesh Ramroop at backward point.

Earlier, Mercenary’s decision to bowl was fully justifiable as wickets tumbled frequently.

Former Demerara Inter-County softball player and stalwart Bobby Parasnauth and his veteran partner Satrohan “Blade” Balkarran bowled incisively well to keep things tight as Berbice Vipers struggled to 15-1 in the fifth over.

The introduction of Amit Rukhram also paid great dividends as he grabbed three wickets to help with the demolition job. The Guyanese-born Rukhram snared 3-13 from his maximum three overs to be the most successful bowler.

Only skipper Christopher Singh reached double-figures for Vipers with a fighting 14 and which eventually gave the total a great degree of respectability.

Sookdeo and Rabindra Diaram were the other two bowlers and they maintained the tremendous pressure on Berbice Vipers’ batsmen. To their own cause, four batsmen were run out.

Meanwhile, the B Division final will be played Saturday as well at the venue with both fixtures commencing at 9 am. Leguan Warriors will take on Ramblers Cricket Club.

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Berbice Vipers, Bobby Parasnauth, final, knockout, Omesh Ramroo

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