West Indian Softball Association

Ocean XI 'stuns' Dynasty - Indy Cup Champions

Darshan Chickery

July 7, 2010

In a 'see saw' battle, Ocean XI battled their way against Dynasty to win the West Indian Softball Association's 2010 Independence Cup in a last ball thriller at Dr. Charles Drew Park last Sunday.

An underdog before the tournament started, Ocean XI comfortably made their way to the finals. For Dynasty, it was a different road. They were listed as the overwhelming favorites and they played the part getting to the finals. They dispatched all their opponents except their semi finals' one - WISA. They mysteriously lost to them in their final preliminary game.

The final got underway just after 3pm with Dynasty taking first strike with openers; Majid Khan and Ahmad Shazaman. Ocean XI countered with right arm leg spinner B. Mohan (Nash) and right hand fast bowler Latchman Mohan (Jr). Ocean XI got success immediately when Shazaman was out with the innings' third delivery. The score was 1 for 1. That brought former National and West Indies Youth wicket keeper Gobind Narine to the crease. He and Khan added 27 runs before Khan was bowled by Jr. for 15 in the fourth over.

Vicky Subkaran joined Gobind. The two batted cautiously against Ocean XI's tidy bowling attack until R. Munsammy struck twice in the 8^th over. Vicky was the first to go for 5. He was followed by Imran Khan who was bowled with the very next delivery. To compound Dynasty's problems, Prasana Malipal was out without scoring in the next over. Dynasty was in deep trouble at 46 for 5.

Khemraj Narine (Buns) joined his brother and repaired the damage with a 70 run 6^th wicket partnership in only 7 overs. Buns' contribution was 36 that contained 7 fours. The rock on the innings - Gobind continued to stroke the ball elegantly to all parts of the ground. He would bat through the innings for an unbeaten 87. His innings of class contained 10 fours. Dynasty managed to get to 184 for 9 in their allotted 25 overs. R. Munsammy was Ocean XI best bowler with 4 for 23.

With a required run rate of almost 7.5 runs an over to achieve their target, Ocean XI started slowly but batted steadily. They lost three early wickets at 26, 34 and 39 before A. Narsingh joined opener Y. Bhoj. They put on their own 70 run partnership of the game. Only this time, it was Ocean XI's 4^th wicket partnership. They did it in exactly 7 overs also. Did I said this was a ?see saw' battle? At 109 for 4 in the 17^th over, it meant Ocean XI needed 74 runs in 8 overs with 6 wickets in hand.

They game was anybody's at 149 for 5 at the end of the 20^th over. Ocean XI had the inform M. Karan and Junior at the wicket. Vish Persaud and Vicky Subkaran had three of the remaining five overs to bowl. Vish bowled the 21^st over for 5 runs and took the wicket of Junior. Vicky then bowled the 22^nd over for four runs. That left Ocean XI at 158 for 6. It meant they needed 27 runs in the last three overs to win the game.

With boundaries scarce, Karran and B. Tulsie challenged Dynasty's fielding with some impeccable running between the wickets. Tulsie was run out for 14 with four runs needed from three deliveries. Nash came to wicket to join Karran who took a single with the next delivery. With Nash on strike and Vicky bolwing, Dynasty seemed to have the upper-hand but that little glimmer of hope went by the wayside when Nash scored two runs on the innings' penultimate delivery to tie the game. Pandemonium erupted in Ocean XI's camp when Nash brought the game home with the game last delivery. Dynasty had lost another close game when it mattered most.

Dynasty vaulted bowling line-up was anything but. They never contained but never dominated the Ocean XI batting. Hence, all their six bowlers (Vish Persaud, Ricky Narine, Vikash Singh, Vicky Subkaran, Moe Khan and Gobind Narine) all took one wicket apiece. Ocean XI batting was lead by Y. Bhoj 52, A.Narsingh 27 and M. Karan 23 not out.

June 7, 2010

A superb all around performance by Mark Bobb spurred President XI to the West Indian Softball Association 25 Over Premier division finals. It came at the expense of Patriots who blew their competition away in the preliminary rounds.

President XI won the toss and elected to bat first. Ryan Norton and Basil Balkaran opened the batting and batted sensibly, taking the score to 51 in the 10^th over before Norton was caught off the bowling of L. Singh for 23. Owen Prince came in and promptly lost his wicket to D. Outar for 1 in the 11^th over. 

Mark Bobb and Balkarran took the score to 63 for 2 at the break (13^th over). Balkarran lost his wicket on the first ball after the break for a well played 28. Roy Comacho and Bobb took the score to 102 when Comacho was out for 23. Bobb was the next man out for a patient 25. Before he did, he shared in partnerships of 5, 39 and 23.

President XI managed to get to 152 for 6 off the allotted 25 overs. Davindra Outar was Patriot's best bowler with 3 for 36 off his five overs. He was ably supported by Haranarain Veira with 2 for 24.

Patriots replied and battled like the warriors they are,

but, fell short and victim to Mark Bobb. They were bowled out for 138 in 22.5 overs.

Harold Ramcharran (King) top scored with 31. He was run out in the 23^rd over.

Other supporting scores came from Latchman Singh 26 and Davindra Outar 20.

Mark Bobb ended up with the game's most impressive bowling figures of 5 for 17 from

 five overs. O. Prince supported him well with 2 for 20.

President XI will battle Avengers for the 2010 25 Overs Championship on June 12.

Other Scores

Premier Elite

Dynasty 175 all out. Canje 128 for 8.

Rising Stars 142 all out. Corriverton 111 all out

Deluxe got walk over from United.

Richmond Hill got walk over from Hurricanes.

Premier (Semi-finals)

Avengers 232 for 8. Hampshire 98 all out.

Division I (Semi-finals)

Primetime 94 all out. Ocean XI 96 for 4.

Ankerville 228 for 6. Triple D 68 all out

Division II (Semi-finals)

Tropical Fantasy 225 all out. Cornered Tigers 143 all out.

Hillside defeated Defenders.

Darshan Chickery

May 19, 2010

Nandalall Doodnauth (Gopie) joined the ranks of WISA's previous 2010 centurions; Omesh Basdeo 106 & Randolph Durgana 101, with a swashbuckling 117 last Sunday against Primetime at Baisley Park.

In a game that did not mean anything to them in the points standing, Ankerville took on Primetime in WISA's final preliminary round game in the Division I 25 over competition.

Batting first, Ankerville got off to a relatively typical start in softball cricket. They lost wickets at 12, 22, 45, 86 and 89 in the 13^th over before Gopie came to crease and joined R. Khublal who was batting superbly. Khublal was out for 62 with the score at 102 for 6.

Kevin Outar joined Gopie in a seventh wicket partnership of 112. His contribution was 3. Yes, Gopie dominated the batting with 10 sixes and 7 fours in his unbeaten inning.

Ankerville closed their inning at 223 for 7 off their allotted 25 overs. L. Khemna, B. Chumandath and S. Seecharran all took two wickets apiece.

Primetime in reply were bundled out for a meager 41. R. Gopie grabbed 3 for 6 while Jordan, R. Khublal and J. Madramootoo all took two wickets each.

Ankerville will begin the Division I playoffs this weekend as the number one seed in their group while Ocean XI will do the same in their group.

Other Scores.

Premier Elite

Rising Stars 149 all out, Deluxe replied with 81 all out.

Corriverton 191 all out, United replied with 82 all out.

Dynasty 124 for 8, Richmond Hill replied with 128 for 9

Hurricanes 58 all out, Canje replied with 60 for1

Premier

Rebels 242 for 9, Hampshire 212

President XI 131 all out, Patriots replied with 134 for 9.

Avengers got walk over from Cornered Tigers.

Division I

Caribbean 154 all out, Cornered Tigers replied with 125 all out

Ocean XI 175 for 9, LBI replied with 155 all out

Williamsburg 112 all out, Triple D replied with 113 for 6

Next Generation 170 for 6, Archer replied with 105 all out

Sandals XI 57 all out, Golden Stars replied with 60 without loss

Ankerville 223 for 7, Primetime replied with 41 all out.