Latest update April 1st, 2026 12:40 AM
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Sarjoo is new EBCA boss after court battles squashed
Priority is grounds says new President
Rohan Sarjoo
Thirty-year-old former Guyana batsman Rohan Sarjoo was elected President of the East Bank Cricket Association (EBCA) at their elections at the Providence Sports Club on Friday evening.
The burly pugnacious batsman who played a single game for Guyana at both first-class and one-day level in the late 1990s says that several sponsors have already committed their support for competitions on the East Bank, whose cricket has been plagued by administrative battles some of which even ended up in the Courts.
Sarjoo, who still plays at the Demerara Cricket Board first division level for Nandy Park, was elected unopposed in the first elections held by the sub Association in almost four years. GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie was the Returning Officer.
Johnny Azeez is the first Vice President, Ronald Jaisingh is the second Vice-President, Sean Bandoo is the Secretary and Nigel Bisoo is the Treasurer. The various committee members will be selected shortly after the new executive meet on Tuesday.
Sarjoo told Kaieteur Sports that his main priority is getting more grounds available since at present only the Providence, Diamond and Splashmin’s grounds are available for cricket on the East Bank. However, the Splashmin’s ground can only accommodate second division cricket.
“We are presently trying to get the Farm ground up and running while talks with the Director of Sports is planned to see what can be worked out to get some matches played at the Stadium. We have 12 teams on the East Bank presently while Linden, which will play as a zone, is also a part of the East Bank Board so ground is our major problem right now,” Sarjoo explained.
The President also disclosed that his board will be going up the Demerara River to have teams from the Missions compete in East Bank cricket giving more opportunities to more players.
Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) President Chetram Singh, who has played a key role in helping to manage cricket affairs on the East Bank and had set up a special committee to help keep the game alive in that area, was present Friday evening. Sarjoo said Singh’s role with East Bank cricket over the last few years has been tremendous and thanked him for his assistance.
Singh disclosed that now that the court battles have been squashed he hoped that everyone will work together to develop the game on the East Bank although the availability of grounds could pose an initial problem.
Singh, the GCB President since 1992, promised his continued assistance to the new executive which will serve for a one-year-term before the next elections.
Sarjoo’s father, the late Neville almost single handedly kept East Bank cricket alive in the 1990s and Rohan wants to follow in his father’s footsteps of being a pro-active President who personally helped to fund several cricket programmes in the area.
“Together we can make things happen. This is not a one-man show, but an all-of-us show. Thus, I am asking for your support all the way. I want to inform you that I don’t intend to be a laid back president, but a pro-active one,” Sarjoo said.
Singh, whose business entity Goodwood Racing Service, sponsors a second division competition in the area promised to get the GCB involved in the development of East Bank cricket and reminded Sarjoo and his team that a lot of work is required during their term of office to move East Bank cricket forward.
Singh, who expressed satisfaction with the interest shown by the large turn-out, informed Sarjoo and the executives that the road ahead would not be easy, especially with only three grounds available.
Sarjoo told Kaieteur Sport that he also intends to develop a strong working relationship with the Demerara Cricket Board, adding that the first task is to get East Bank selectors on the DCB panels now that all the legal aspects are out of the way.
“I don’t know but I sometimes get the impression that the DCB is mainly concerned with East Coast and West Demerara cricket and as the East Bank President my aim is for everyone to work together for the betterment of cricket in Demerara and I want to feel that East Bank, Georgetown…everybody is involved in the decision making to make Demerara cricket the best that it can be,” the outspoken Sarjoo concluded.
(Sean Devers)
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