B’ce Cricket Board enjoys highly successful 2011 on and off the cricket field

Jan 11, 2012 Sports

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The Berbice Cricket Board in 2011 enjoyed a highly successful year on and off the cricket field and in the process cemented itself as the best and most progressive county board in Guyana. While the Essequibo Cricket Board continues to be non-performing and the Demerara Cricket Board non-functional, the Berbice Cricket Board has excelled with the hosting of numerous cricket Tournaments at all age groups, achieved its target of 70 off the field programmes, while the county, due to careful and visionary planning continues to dominate cricket in Guyana at all levels.

President of the Berbice Cricket Board, Keith Foster, Secretary – Angela Haniff, Treasurer – Anil Beharry, and Public Relations Officer Hilbert Foster all hailed the work of the Board during the year as truly remarkable and noted that despite numerous challenges, including the betrayal of some Executives to the current Guyana Cricket Board, the Berbice Cricket Board had achieved everything and more than it had set itself before the year started.
On the cricket field the Board has organised cricket tournaments at the Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, Female, Second Division and First Division levels. Some 2010 Tournaments were completed while the Berbice Cricket Board would shortly be starting the Tenelec Inc Under-15 Inter-club, Under-19 and Under-21 Tournaments due to a busy schedule.
Scottsburg Cricket Team created a huge upset to defeat Tucber Park to claim the Ricks & Sari Agro Under-13 Title, while Rose Hall Town Farfan & Mendes defeated Albion to lift the Tenelec Inc Under-15 Title. Albion gained revenge on their arch rival when the defeated Rose Hall Town Pepsi to win the Spready’s Bakery Under-19 Tournament, while Rose Hall Town Metro took home the Millie Lewis Memorial Female Cup. Young Warriors of Canje defeated Tamarind Root of Hampshire to lift the New Building Society Ltd Second Division title, while another edition of the Tournament has already started and has reached the quarterfinal stages.
The Berbice Cricket Board has also successfully hosted the Ramcharitar 50-Overs and Universal DVD 20/20 Tournaments, both of which was won by the Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets, while the Tenelec Inc 50-Overs Tournament is at the semifinal stages. At the Inter-zone levels, Lower Corentyne took home all the Titles as they won the NCN Under-15, Republic Bank Under-17 and Diamond Fire & General Insurance Under-19 Tournaments. The Competitions Committee of the Board during the Christmas holidays were schedule to start the Tenelec Inc Under-15 Inter-club and Elizabeth Styles Under-19 and Under-21 Tournaments.
At the Inter-county levels, the Berbice Cricket Teams, playing under the sponsorship of GT&T Cellink, have won the Guyana Cricket Board Under-15, Under-17, Under-19 One-day and Senior 50-Overs Titles. We also won the Hits & Jams 20/20 Title with a total local unit when all the other three teams all had very expensive foreign stars in their line-up.
The county players also continue to make up the majority of Guyana Cricket Teams at all levels. At the Under-15, the following players represented Guyana – Arif Chan, Sharaz Ramcharran, Shimron Hetmyer and Nial Smith. At the Under-17 level, Sharaz Ramcharran, Arif Chan, Shailendra Shameer, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai and Shimron Hetmyer played for Guyana while Dominic Rikhi, Loyydel Lewis, Clinton Pestano, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai, Joemal La Fleur and Linden Austin played for the National Under-19 Team.
The county’s female cricketers also did well with Shemaine Campbelle, Tremayne Smartt, Nikita Toney, Subrina Munroe, Erva Giddings, Phaffiana Millington and Trishanie Cort represented Guyana, while at the senior male level, Assad Fudadin captained the National 50-Overs Team, while Sewnarine Chattergoon, Devendra Bishoo, Brendon Bess, Richard Ramdeen, Veerasammy Permaul, Jonathan Foo, Narsingh Deonarine, Royston Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Esuan Crandon, Keon Joseph and Anthony Bramble played for the Senior Team.
For the West Indies – Shemaine Campbelle, Tremayne Smartt, Subrina Munroe, Devendra Bishoo, Assad Fudadin, Brendon Bess, Jonathan Foo and Veerasammy Permaul represented the Region at either the “A”, Female or Senior level with Bishoo becoming the ancient county 15th Test Player and Permaul captaining the West Indies “A” Team against Bangladesh.
Off the cricket field, the Berbice Cricket Board up to the 1st December, had achieved its 2011 goal of 70 Projects/Programmes and hoped to extend it to over 80 by the end of the year. Chairman of the Board’s Special Events Committee Hilbert Foster, stated that the Berbice Cricket Board has successfully transformed itself from being a mere cricketing authority into a progressive and pro-active NGO with activities under the headings of Charity, Social, Community Development, Religious, Educational and Youth Development.
Among the seventy one projects/programmes done so far in 2011 are the Annual Awards Ceremony, Tribute to Retired Cricketers, Tribute to Coaches, Tribute to Groundsmen, Berbice Cricket Academy, Junior and Senior Elite Training Programmes, Inter-county Cap System, 4th Annual Tribute to Heroes, Launching of 3rd Annual Magazine, 4th Annual Educational Awards Scheme, Honouring Devendra Bishoo, MVP Inter-county Awards, Junior spinner and fast bowling clinics, BCB Mother and Father of the Year Programme, Berbice All Time Under-15 Team, Essay and Poster Competitions, Honouring former GCB President Chetram Singh, and donation of $250,000 to a child to assist her to perform a heart surgery in India.
The Berbice Cricket Board during the year also donated three televisions sets to three orphanages in Berbice under its Senior Players’ Charity Fund at the cost of $150,000, while together with Food for the Poor and the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club donated millions of dollars worth of items to over 25 cricket clubs to assist them in their development.
These off the field activities, Foster stated has played a major role in assisting the Berbice Cricket Board to have a great relationship with the general Berbice public as the people are fully aware of the Board’s effort to make a positive difference in the lives of youths and the less fortunate. Berbicians were also kept aware of the Berbice Cricket Board activities, plans and financial status via the hosting of fifteen conferences, Television programmes and the publication of hundreds of press releases in the daily newspapers and electronic media.
The support of cricket fans at Berbice Cricket Board organised tournaments, were also very high with huge crowds turning up for the Ramcharitar 50-Overs and Universal DVD 20/20 Tournaments.
On the negative side, the Berbice Cricket Board was disappointed with the behaviour of its former 1st Vice President David Black and Asst Secretary Carol Nurse who broke the strong bond the Board had enjoyed over the years. Black was removed as 1st Vice President with a no-confidence motion because of his involvement in the current Guyana Cricket Board Election, while Nurse since her appointment as Manager of the National Female Team has ceased to fulfill her duties.
The Berbice Cricket Board during the latter part of the year had to face up to forms of indiscipline and disrespect by some senior cricketers who believed that they would be protected by Guyana Cricket Board officials. The Berbice Cricket Board has forewarned the players that such behaviour would not be tolerated in the future and necessary disciplinary actions would be taken.
The Berbice Cricket Board especially its Special Events Committee would like to express gratitude to the numerous sponsors of Berbice Cricket. Special mention must be made of GT&T Cellink for its sponsorship of all Berbice Cricket Teams at the cost of $1m, Tenelec Inc of Washington, USA, Bank of Nova Scotia, NCN, Amerally Sawmill, Republic Bank (Guy) Ltd, ANSA McAl, Busta, Spready’s Bakery, Diamond Fiore & General Insurance, Elizabeth Styles, Peter Lewis Construction, New Building Society, Ramcharitar Construction, Universal DVD and Universal Solutions, Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, Ricks & Sari Agro Ltd, The Trophy Stall, Food for the Poor (Guy) Inc, Conrad Plummer, A Ally & Sons, Banks DIH Ltd among others.
The Berbice Cricket Board would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the media especially NCN, DTV-8, LRTVS CH10, Kaieteur News, Guyana Times, Stabroek News and Guyana Chronicle. Planning for an even more hectic 2012 season has already began and the Executives of the Board would like to reassure Berbicians that the future of Berbice Cricket is in safe hands.

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