AFTER playing unbeaten throughout the 2021 season, Toronto Blizzards kept their record intact, capturing the Over-50 title when the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) organised tournaments climaxed at the Ashtonbee Reservoir, Scarborough, Canada over the last weekend.

Led from the front by a responsible knock of 70 from former Guyana player Shivnauth Seeram, who was also celebrating another milestone on Saturday, Toronto Blizzards reached a challenging 182 for seven off their allotted 20 overs.

When the rains halted proceedings, opponents Cosmos were 45 for three after 10 overs, thereby losing on run rate as Toronto Blizzards defended their title admirably.

The ever-green Seeram, who struck two fours and five sixes, added 95 for the first wicket with another former Guyana player in Sunil Dhaniram, whose 42 included three fours and two sixes. Jaimini Singh chipped in with 20 (one four and two sixes). Daron Mahase was Cosmos best bowler with two for 12 from his two overs.

The semi-finals, played the previous weekend, saw Toronto Blizzards winning from Pegasus Storm while Cosmos defeated Ramblers Rampage.
The Consolation final, featuring Dirty Dozen and Friendship, was dominated by Most Valuable Player (MVP) Ganesh Ramraj who plundered 83 as Dirty Dozen won handsomely from their opponents.

At the presentation ceremony, which followed, Toronto Blizzards collected both the regular season and championship trophies while Seeram received the MVP award for the final.

Cosmos took home the runners-up prize while players from both teams were also recipient of medallions.

Among the other awardees were former Guyana Under-19 player Troy Gobin (Pegasus Storm) who was honoured for scoring the most runs (207) and also for being the Player of the Year, Dhaniram (108), Rabindra Jesh Parasnauth (109) and Mohan Harihar (104) for recording centuries for Toronto Blizzards and Ramraj (128) for Dirty Dozen.

Dhaniram also collected prizes for scoring 200, the highest individual score ever in the history of the league and for sharing the highest partnership (324) with Jesh Parasnauth who was also recipient of a trophy.

(Frederick Halley)