“Softball enthusiast,” Prime Minister Mark Phillips on Sunday launched the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Incorporated’s fourth annual Prime Minister’s Cup.
The grand launching at the Everest Cricket Club got off to a flyer with the Prime Minister ceremonially bowling the first delivery in honour of the launching. This initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Office of the Prime Minister and the Softball League.
Dubbed ‘the left-handed magician,’ by those present, Phillips bamboozled the batsman and sent down a second delivery which narrowly missed the off-stump.
The gathering then ventured to the top deck of the main pavilion where the Prime Minister gave his feature address.
“If you grew up in Guyana and you have not played softball cricket I don’t think you are Guyanese…,” Phillips reckoned as he built his case that softball is rooted deep within Guyanese culture.
The Prime Minister revealed that he, like many Guyanese, is an enthusiast of the format while chuckling, “at my age that’s the only form of cricket I could be playing so softball cricket is my game.”
Phillips, a retired Brigadier of the Guyana Defence Force, added that over the past three seasons, the event has brought together thousands of Guyanese and provided numerous incentives and opportunities for various teams.
The Prime Minister also related that as the National coordinator for the Covid-19 task force he had to approve the tournament and in spite of the pandemic, he contended that “this year is no different,” as it will bring “much social and psychological relief to our cricket loving citizens at a time when the world is facing the unprecedented events of the Novel Coronavirus.”
Meanwhile, President of the league, Ian John informed that the tournament will be played under strict Covid-19 guidelines set out by the Ministry of Health.
John briefed the Prime Minister of the tournament’s history of having several international teams competing but this would not be the case in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The softball president went on to disclose that as per usual the three categories will be Open, Over-45 and Over-50 with a $200,000 first prize and $50,000 second place payout. The player of the series for each division will walk away with a television.
John thanked the sponsors such as Banks DIH, Caribbean Airlines, P&P Insurance, Dina’s Embroidery, Regal Sta-tionery, Chung’s Global, Danny Persaud, Crown Mining, Elegance Jewelry and Pawn Shop among others for their continued support
Also present at the launching was former Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan who has been involved with the tournament from its inception. He wished the tournament success and urged everyone to put their safety first.
The tournament will see action on November 27 and 28 with matches in the morning and afternoon across venues in Georgetown before the finals on November 29.
