BCB distributes $1M worth of white cricket balls to first division clubs

Jun 18, 2023 Sports

---

– Coaches receive $300,000 worth of colored uniforms

Kaieteur Sports – “In the history of Guyana cricket, no cricket board has invested as the Berbice Cricket Board has done for the last five years. We have not only organised cricket at all levels and developmental programmes but we have assisted every single club in the county to fulfill their mandate to produce players for the county and country. This donation today is another major red letter day for the county as we move on into the 2023 first division season,” stated BCB President Hilbert Foster as he addressed a simple presentation ceremony at the board office on Thursday to hand over one million dollars of white balls to the first division clubs in the county.

The donation of the cricket balls was done under the Patron Fund which is financed by Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, who serves as Patron of the vibrant cricket board.

The clubs receiving the donation were West Berbice, Blairmont, Police, Young Warriors, Rose Hall Canje, Tucber Park, Albion, RHTYSC, Port Mourant, Upper Corentyne and Skeldon. They each collected five boxes of balls worth seventy five thousand dollars, while the Berbice River Cricket Association got two boxes and the Guymine Cricket Club one box each from the Fund. Foster noted that this is the second successive year that the clubs have benefitted from one million dollars worth of white balls, while the second division would shortly receive another million dollars worth of red balls under another project.

Foster urged the clubs to use the balls for the intended purpose and to support the board as much as possible. Foster also disclosed that as part of the board’s assistance to clubs it has manage to obtain six bowling machines, over twenty four practice nets, five batting cages and twenty catching cribs. Clubs over the last five years have also received cricket gear, educational grants, scorebooks, water pitchers, grass cutters, cricket uniforms, bicycles, protective gear among others.

Foster, who has been the board president since 2018, expressed thanks to the BCB Patron for his assistance under the fund. The BCB President, stated that his administration understands the financial burden that clubs undergoes to play the game and was delighted to assist as much as possible. Foster noted that as President he works very hard to make a positive difference as he was determined to lift the game higher. He recalled that on his election in February 2018, he committed to making sure that the ancient county produces ten West Indies players at all levels in five years. The county has since produced twelve players at the junior, senior levels including Isai Thorne, Sheneeta Grimmond, Shakabi Gajnabi, Rampertab Ramnauth, Romario Shepherd, Guadakesh Motie, Kevin Sinclair and Kevlon Anderson.

Additionally, several exciting talents have burst on to the scene including Shamar Joseph, Ashmimi Munisar, Junior Sinclair and Jonathan Rampersaud. The BCB has invested heavily in a massive coaching programme which has seen the presence of Sir Curtly Ambrose, Sir Andy Roberts, Courtney Walsh, Roland Butcher, Jimmy Adams, Dr Desmond Haynes, Reon King, Sheik Mohamed, Nolan Mckenzie and Clyde Butts working with youths in the county.

Foster also unveiled plans for the hosting of several tournaments at the first division level along with cricket at the second division and female level over the next six months as part of a massive development effort. Clubs in the county would also be allowed one non Berbician to play in the first division level, while plans for three academies was also announced for West Berbice, Upper Corentyne and Berbice. Clubs expressed their gratitude to the BCB and the Patron for the assistance with the balls.

The board also used the opportunity to share out three hundred thousand dollars worth of coloured uniforms to the twenty cricket coaches attached to its developmental programme. The coaches are attached to the BCB with the assistance of the Government of Guyana via Minister Nigel Dharmalall. The twenty coaches are based in the West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne area. Foster urged the coaches to redouble their efforts to the task at hand and to work hard to make sure that every talent is given the opportunity to grow. He stated that his administration would not tolerate indiscipline and laziness from people who only want to use the system for their own benefit. The BCB boss expressed thanks to former national player Sheik Mohamed for his donation of the uniforms.

---

• Berbice Cricket Board, Blairmont, police, Rose Hall Canje, West Berbice, Young Warriors

---