OSCL Aims For More Progress In 2014 Says Bobby Ramlagan

Ontario Softball Cricket League
By Ravendra Madholall in Toronto
Reflecting on what would have transpired last year Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) is anticipating more progress in 2014 says Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Bobby Ramlagan during an exclusive interview with this writer on Friday.

Ontario Softball Cricket League Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Bobby Ramlagan.

The highlight for the year was the introduction of the ten-ten competition, which attracted several teams across the Greater Toronto Area, and potentially it can be more riveting for the new season.

Since the formation of the league for virtually two decades now, a massive number of top softball players featured on a yearly basis specifically in the 25-over version but the additional competition created a different and exciting dimension for the league.

“We [are] definitely happy with what took place last year and we can now predict another good year; certainly the 10-over brought lots of excitement and the players showed a lot of passion for it as well,” the 40-year-old Ramlagan related.

The Guyanese Ramlagan also spoke about the keen competitiveness, which started over the years, and he is very confident and enthusiastic the OSCL will experience the same level of it again this year. The high numbers of players coming from Guyana and taking part also demonstrated the profound love for softball cricket in North America.

“We have seen players coming from Guyana on an annual basis to play here in Toronto and they have shown the eagerness to play professionally and competitively; we set rules and regulations and everyone is respecting them so we want to continue to have great standard in organizing the games well,” Ramlagan, who has been an executive for the past six years for League, stated.

At last year’s Guyana Cup ‘Three’ Mini World Cup softball tournament, the OSCL team participated but they failed to make an impression in the South American Continent but that also underlined the seriousness of the league getting its players reaching to a next level.

“I think it was very important that a tournament of that magnitude took place and given the fact that the game softball has grown tremendously over here but it was a great tour in terms of the exposure and getting the OSCL name in a different territory,” Ramlagan further declared.

He was very ecstatic to reveal that the OSCL’s annual family fun-day for kids will also continue and that brings out many children to take part in cricket and simultaneously generate more attention for the game and togetherness among players.

With more teams have already expressed interest to participate in the new season, Ramlagan mentioned that he and his fellow executives will work harder and with same degree of confidence and professionalism to make this year another success.

Meanwhile, Cricketers Cove emerged as champion for the third consecutive year after they defeated East Coast Cricket Club in the grand finale while Better Hope XI won the inaugural ten-over competition having contested the final with Caribbean Sensation.

Ramlagan was pleased to say that the last annual presentation ceremony came in for good praise after players once again received a plethora of trophies for their outstanding, individual performances in the various categories.

He reserved special appreciation for the sponsors and all who contributed in tangible ways to see the steady growth of softball cricket and enormous support by fans from East to West End.

Ramlagan took the opportunity to relate that his team, Wakenaam Island Cricket Team, should be a side to be reckoned with. He has been a representative for the side of the years despite they haven’t really made a big impact but he remains upbeat they can do great things on this occasion (2014 season), which begins in May.

Some of the players who came up last year from Guyana were former Guyana under-19 batsmen Ejay Mohamed and Krishna Deosaran, first-class fast-bowler Trevon Garraway, Georgetown Cricket Club player Garvin Singh, former Guyana Under-19 reserved and senior Demerara Inter-county player Wasim Haslim among others.