Region One to host t20 Cricket extravaganza tomorrow

May 11, 2016 Sports

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Windies World Cup champions plus Shiv on show in Mabaruma  

By Sean Devers
Never in their wildest dreams would the villagers of Region One’s Agriculture and Fishing community of Mabaruma have imagined that they would wake up tomorrow to see cricketing Superstars they had only read about in the papers or heard commentators describe on the Radio.
Tomorrow all roads, trails and Canoes from riverain communities, leads to the

Mabaruma Settlement Recreation ground to see Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the second highest West Indies run-scorer in Tests behind Brian Lara, West Indies under-19 World Cup trio Shemron Hetymer, his Vice-Captain Kemo Paul and Tevin Imlach along with female West Indies World Cup Champion Tremayne Smartt in action.
Shamaine Campbell, who also played in the t20 World Cup in India, is unavailable due to burns on her leg caused by a motor cycle accident.
Smartt’s presence in the Hinterland Community as an ambassador for Women’s cricket and talking about the benefits of females being involved in cricket should go a long way of sparking interest in girls wanting to play cricket in Mabaruma.  Smartt is also a qualified Coach.
But National opening batsman Robin Bacchus, who returns to a settlement where he spent the first three years of his life and which is an hour away from the hustle and bustle of Guyana’s Capitol by plane, could get the biggest welcome as he returns home.
The high quality on the field and fun and frolic beyond the boundary, should provide what is anticipated to be a capacity crowd, the time of their lives.
The International and national cricketers are expected to put on a pulsating and riveting performance on what should be one the most memorable days for those lucky enough to be at the ground from 09:30hrs tomorrow morning in an event staged to promote Guyana’s National Sport in the rural district and hopefully inspire interest and motivation for some of those who live there to aspire to play for Essequibo, Guyana and ultimately West Indies.
Only two players born in Essequibo, Ramnaresh Sarwan (Wakenaam) and the late Ivor Mendonca (Bartica) have ever played Test cricket for the West Indies.
The event, which forms a part of Guyana’s Golden Jubilee 50th Anniversary celebrations, has been organised by the Region One Committee which stated that the entire region is excited about the game which is sanctioned by the Guyana Cricket Board and supported by the Government.

The Region has a lot of untapped potential and the committee feels that this venture will serve as a motivation for the young cricketers.
TDO of the GCB former West Indies pacer Colin Stuart agrees. “This is a wonderful idea and I am confident that some players with natural talent would be discovered and help to widen the pool for selection to Essequibo teams in the future. The interaction with players they had only heard or read about should spark plenty of interest and help harness what would otherwise be lost talent to Guyana’s cricket,” Stuart said.
The Region one body expressed gratitude to the executives of the GCB who are keen to see the outcome and promised to assist with the growth of the game in the area.
The GCB has also contributed towards the air fare of seven players, while George Melville, the Managing Director of Global Technology on Camp Street Georgetown and who comes from that part of Guyana’s largest County, assisted with the air fares for the other players and Coach Michael Hyles Franco. The committee has also expressed gratitude to Sky West Airline.
Guyana Jaguars Captain Leon Johnson, who is tipped to get a Test recall against India later this year, his deputy Vishaul Singh, and Test opener Rajendra Chandrika were set to be on the plane which is scheduled to touch down

in Region One at 07:00hrs tomorrow, but are now unavailable due to West Indies batting camp commitments in Barbados. Sherfane Rutherford, Chanderpaul Hemraj and Romario Shepherd are their replacements.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul was also set to play tomorrow but due to injury has been replaced by Christopher Barnwell.  Director of Sports Christopher Jones will present the Trophies while Stuart informed that the GCB will fund the airfare for Umpire Zaheer Mohamed’s trip to officiate in the historic game.
On Monday the players paid a courtesy call on Sports Minister Nicolette Henry, who reminded them that were ambassadors for the game and rest of Guyana.  The visitors will be divided into two teams which will also comprise talented players from Region One.
It is understood that the ground has been cut and the pitch is being prepared for the biggest cricket match in the history of Mabaruma, the center of the administration which has a mixed population of close to 12,000, inclusive of several Amerindian villagers.

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