Five practice games planed for Stadium as Guyana prepare for CLT20

Aug 09, 2010 Sports

For the first time ever a Guyana Cricket team will be involved in a multi-million dollar International tournament and five practice matches are planned for the Guyana National Stadium at Providence before the team leaves next month for the Champions League 20/20 tournament in South Africa.

Jonathan Foo

Ramnaresh Sarwan

All 14 players who traveled to Barbados and Trinidad to help Guyana play unbeaten in the Caribbean 20/20 Championship to earn the right to represent the West Indies in South Africa have been retained with former West Indies under-19 opener Richard Ramdeen added to the team which is scheduled to oppose Indian side Royal Challengers Bangalore in Centurion on September 12 in their opening game.
The Ramnaresh Sarwan led side is scheduled to begin their encampment today with a morning fitness session at the Buddy’s Gym on Sheriff Street before attending a conditioning/agility and fielding session at the Stadium this afternoon.
The team, the most successful 20/20 side in Regional cricket with just one loss (to Jamaica in the 2008 semi-finals) from 11 matches since winning the inaugural Stanford 20/20 title in Antigua in 2006, will have a core conditioning session tomorrow morning at the Transport Sports Club in the city before another fielding session at the Stadium after lunch tomorrow.
The team is managed by Carl Moore (also the Manager in 2006) and coached by Ravindra Seeram with Orin Bailey as his assistant and they are encamped at the Chetram Singh Centre of Excellence at LBI and will have access to Guyana’s only indoor practice facility if rain prevents outdoor sessions.
The first of 5 scheduled practice games on Sunday August 22 at Providence and it is understood that a ‘grudge’ game between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, who they beat in the Caribbean 20/20 Championships semi-finals, is also on the cards before the team leave for Africa.
The final practice game is fixed for the Stadium on Thursday September 2 after an all-day team event to develop team spirit and camaraderie is held on Sunday August 29 at the Splashmin’s fun park.
Although without leading Test batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the Guyana team includes Sarwan, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Travis Dowlin, Narsingh Deonarine and Royston Crandon, all of whom have played One-Day Internationals for the West Indies, while all eyes are expected to be on teenager Jonathon Foo to see if he can live up to the high expectations after his heroics in the Caribbean Championships. (Sean Devers)

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Waka, Waka Guyana in South Africa!

WIPMACOL’s interest in Guyana team

By Sean Devers
Guyana’s qualification for the Champions League 20/20 cricket tournament in South Africa next month has raised several contractual issues between the Guyana players, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
The West Indies Player Management Company Limited (WIPMACOL) is a name that has also recently popped up during discussions on the contract issue.
Today Kaieteur Sports takes a closer look at WIPMACOL’s interest in the Guyana team which will represent the entire Caribbean region in South Africa.
WIPMACOL is a company incorporated in St Lucia in accordance with the Laws of St Lucia whose registered address is First Floor, Financial Centre Limited, Number 1 Bridge Street, Castries, St Lucia.
WIPMACOL is the holder of the intellectual property and image rights of the Guyana players selected to participate in South Africa.
The GCB is the governing board charged with the responsibility for all aspects of the players’ participation in the tournament and according to a WIPA source, the GCB and the players seek a license from WIPMACOL to allow the players to fulfill all obligations of the tournament organisers to third parties which require use of the players’ intellectual property and image rights.
This newspaper was told that WIPMACOL, by resolution dated August 3rd 2010 authorised WIPA to act as its agent in respect of all negotiations concerning the use of the players’ intellectual property and image rights in respect of the Champions League tournament.
WIPMACOL has also authorized and licensed the GCB and the players to execute squad terms and any other agreements in respect of the use of the players’ intellectual property and image rights for the period of the tournament only and in accordance with the terms and conditions specified in the said squad terms and said other agreements, in exchange for the payment of fees as negotiated between the GCB and WIPA, as agent for WIPMACOL.
PAYMENT OF FEES
The official explained that the fee will be agreed between the GCB and WIPA for the 15 players named to tour South Africa and the Auxiliary Staff (Manager, Coaches etc) to be decided by the GCB.
Participation Fee: 50% to players before taxes
Minimum Prize monies (G$40 million) split: 75% to players and 25% to GCB.
Advance to semi-finals and win (US$1.3million) GCB – 25%, Players 75% less US$10,000 to auxiliary staff.
Advance to semi-finals & Lose. (US$500,000)- GCB 25%, Players 75% less US$20,000 to auxiliary staff.
Into final & win (US$2.5 million)-GCB 25%, players 75% less US$54,000 to auxiliary staff.
The WIPA source disclosed that the specific payments to the player shall be distributed as directed by WIPA in accordance with:
(i) Article VIII of the Memorandum of Understanding between the WICB and WIPA and;
(ii) The established course of dealing as player representative and;
(iii) Instructions to WIPA from WIPMACOL
All such payments shall be made by the GCB within 28 days of the conclusion of the CLT20 or such other dates as agreed by the GCB and WIPA.
A GCB official informed that last year in India when Trinidad and Tobago lost to New South Wales in the final a 50/50 split of participation fees was agreed upon and this was shared among 20 squad members.
The source told Kaieteur Sport that the half of the part of their participation fee paid to the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) by WICB from the Champions League Organisers was given to the 15 players in recognition for their effort in India while the T&T team was also given 50% of the money paid by their team sponsor.
The GCB will also collect a percentage of the participation fee from the WICB and the regional Board has already said that it is up to the GCB to share the money with their players in whatever manner they wish.
According to a GCB official the WIPA Contract with the GCB wants a 50/50 split between the 15 players and the GCB with no provision for the support staff who would have to be paid from the GCB’s portion.
WIPA, according a source in Trinidad, proposed a 75-25 split for the Players and the GCB with the Players getting the bulk of the money from the tour.
The Guyana team begins their encampment today and it is understood that a match between Guyana and dethroned Champions T&T is on the cards as they prepare for the very tough assignment in South Africa.