GCA’s Vnet Champs U-13 League launched-To help build the nursery of GT’s cricket

Mar 24, 2018 Sports

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In collaboration with the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) VNET Communications, Guyana’s premier satellite internet provider launched the Vnet Champs U-13 League at their 25 Delph street office in Campbellville on Thursday afternoon.
The teams will be competing for Cash, trophies and other prizes provided by the sponsors. Vnet is the premium sponsor with Cerulean INC, Guyana Trading Company, Eco Atlantic International Investment INC and Give another Chance foundation (a non-profit entity that works with children), also on board.
Six clubs (Everest, GCC, DCC, GYO, TSC and Diplomats) and a School team (Queen’s College) will be involved and the first round will be played on Saturday April 7 and continue on every Saturday after that until May 19 when final will be played.
GCC play DCC at YMCA (09:30 hrs), GYO face TSC at YMCA (14:00hrs), QC oppose Diplomats at MYO (14:00hrs), while Everest draws the bye in the first round.
And if the professional and high standard of the launching, which included a video message from Vnet’s brand Ambassador Kemo Paul in Zimbabwe for the World Cup Qualifiers, and the plans to develop the young players both on and off the field, is anything to go by, the tournament should be a resounding success.
The players will also attend pre and post games workshops, where topics such as personal hygiene, bullying, abuse and violence among others, will be conducted by various Community leaders.
In addition to the cricket, Vnet and GCA will be holding a number of events to boost the awareness of cricket at the grass roots level and two such events have already been planned; a fund raising dinner and a family fun day.
Vnet’s CEO Safraz Sheriffudeen has been a long-time supporter of the development of cricket and believes that there will be an even greater impact if children are engaged early in their lives, provided with mentorship and training as well as the right gear and facilities to make their dreams of playing in the big leagues a reality.
Played under tag line ‘our Game, our Culture’ this is the fourth such competition organised by the governing body for cricket in the City after the inaugural tournament was held in 2012 as Pee wee league.
Ashmead Nedd, Ronaldo Ali-Mohamed, Joshua Persaud, Bhaskar Yadram and Raymond Perez, who were the Guyanese in the last U-19 World Cup, are all graduates of the U-13 programme.
Vice President of the GCA, former Guyana batsman, Neil Barry, noted that the incentives are very encouraging and said he hoped that other companies come on board to support cricket in Georgetown.
“Each team will start their innings with 200 and bat for 25 overs. The batsmen will bat in pairs and will bat for five overs. They can be dismissed many times during the five overs but with every dismissal 10 runs would be deducted from their total,” Barry explained.
Barry stressed that the format of the game teaches the youngsters to not only hit the ball but also to defend their wicket since it forces the players to think.
Each bowler must bowl at least two overs except the Keeper who is not allowed to bowl. A bowler cannot bowl more than three overs.
The winner will be the team scoring the higher number of runs after deductions for dismissals have been made.
Sheriffudeen congratulated Vnet’s brand Ambassador 20-year-old Paul for joining Ronsford Beaton as the only two players who have played for Essequibo to play international cricket.
“Vnet has for over the past years been actively involved in Sports and Community development through our cricketing programmes that are held in the island of Wakenaam and today we are honoured to a part of this event,” said Sheriffudeen, who like Test batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan and Paul who moved there as a little boy, are from Wakenaam.
He sees Vnet’s involvement in this event as not just a sponsorship but as an investment in the future of Guyana’s cricket.
“We have hosted T20 tournaments in Wakenaam over the last six years and seen the likes of Kemo Paul, Ricardo Adams and several Essequibo Youth players going on to represent Guyana. Vnet also has a presence in the Tapeball arena which boost players like Paul, Ricardo and Anthony Adams, Kevin Boodie and Savory,” informed the Vnet CEO who is a lover of cricket.
Sheriffudeen spoke of the team work and spoke glowingly of the persons behind the other sponsors.
GCA President Roger Harper said he was excited about what he had heard so far and promised that the GCA will do its best to help the tournament be a success.
“While I am a bit disappointed that not more of the youngsters are here today I hope they will learn a lot of things during the next three months and have fun at the same time.
We not only want to build the nursery to take Guyana and West Indies cricket forward but we also want to produce productive Citizens,” said the former Test all-rounder and ex West Indies Coach.
Harper, a former Guyana Captain, thanked the sponsors for giving the kids this opportunity to display their talent adding that he hoped with Vnet’s and the others continued support of this tournament could be bigger and better in the years to come.
Miranda Thukur-Deen, Founder and Managing Director of Eco Atlantic Investment International INC, give the vote of Thanks. (Sean Devers)

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