Hetymers donate $1.5 million to Berbice Cricket Development

Oct 08, 2023 Sports

Shimron/Nirvanie Hetymer Berbice Trust Fund…

Kaieteur Sports – “We are very pleased to assist Berbice cricket as we are fully aware of the current state of development taking place across the county. We as a family had made a commitment to assist Berbice cricket as long as Hilbert Foster remains at the helm and we intend to fulfill that promise”. Those were the words of West Indies middle order batsman Shimron Hetymer as he handed over a cheque for $1.5 million towards the Shimron/Nirvanie Hetymer Berbice Cricket Trust Fund for the year 2023.

Berbice Under-17 Captain receives the sponsorship from Shimron Hetymer in the presence of BCB President Hilbert Foster.

On the election of Hilbert Foster as President of the BCB in 2018, the Hetymers made a commitment to assist Berbice cricket as long as Foster remains in office. Over the years, the Shimron/Nirvanie Trust Fund has assisted cricket clubs with cricket balls, provided educational grants to cricketers attending school, provided cricket gear to less fortunate cricketers, sponsor cricket tournaments in the New Amsterdam/Canje area, assisted cricketers with bicycles to attend school and sponsoring coaching sessions for youths among others.

This year’s contribution of $1.5 million will see over eighty second division clubs in the county benefitting from $1 million worth of red balls. The clubs would include Bush Lot United, Paradise, Bath, Achievers, Cotton Tree, Edinburgh, Mt. Sinai, Rose Hall Canje, Chesney, Albion, RHTYSC, Port Mourant, Whim, Kildonan, No 43, No 70, No 72 Cut and Load, Skeledon, Radna Krishna Foundation and No 72 All Stars.

The remaining $500,000 would be used to host two cricket tournaments in the New Amsterdam/ Canje area where the Hetmyers live. The first tournament would be a second division one for sixteen teams while the second would be a Tapeball tournament for primary schools. Over fifteen primary schools are expected to participate in the tournament and they include Rose Hall Canje, Sheet Anchor, St. Marks, St. Alyosius and Bohemia Primary. Distribution of cricket balls would start this weekend in all five sub zones – Berbice River, West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne.

Foster expressed gratitude to the couple for their continued support of Berbice cricket and noted that since 2018, the county had produced twelve players for the West Indies at the different levels.

The BCB President stated that his administration was investing heavily in youth development so that players like Rampertab Ramnauth, Isai Thorne, Jonathan Rampersaud, Matthew Pottaya and Realanna Grimmond can fulfill their full potential. Twenty coaches are working across the county on a daily bases at different clubs while the BCB has invested in coaching equipment, cricket gears, uniforms, batting cages, bowling machine among others. The county would soon benefit from another donation of twenty-six bowling machines for schools and clubs from an Australian based supporter of Berbice cricket.

Over one hundred young crickets are also expected to benefit shortly from donation of cricket gears while legends of Berbice cricket would also be honored shortly. Foster, whose third term as President ends in December, called on cricket officials to work together for the continued development of the game.

Hetymer, who has represented the West Indies at the Test, T/20 and ODI levels, reassured Foster of his continued support and urged youths in the county to take opportunities provided to them.

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batsman, Berbice Cricket Trust Fund, Hilbert Foster, Shimron Hetymer, West Indies

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