Rafell McKenzie cops $300K worth of prizes as cricketer of the academy

Jul 28, 2025 Sports

---

…RHTYSC Bakewell/Busta Cricket Academy 2025

…Leon Reddy cops runner-up accolades

Cricket manager of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS, Mr. Robby Kissoonlall has stated that the 35th annual RHTYSC Bakewell/Busta Cricket Academy was the most successful in the history of the club. Kissoonlall noted that the cricket management committee was very pleased with the hard work, discipline and dedication of the large pool of young cricketers and the coaching staff of four.

The academy started on the 14th of July and ended on July 25th at the Area H ground with level three coach Winston Smith been the cricket director. He was ably assisted by Floyd Benjamin, Ryan Algu and Leslie Solomon. West Indies players Kevlon Anderson, Shemaine Campbell, Sabika Gajnabi and Sheneeta Grimmond and national player Clinton Pestano also dropped in at the camp and closing ceremony.

Club Secretary Hilbert Foster disclosed that special emphasis was placed on improving the batting, bowling and fielding skills of each participant along with their physical fitness. Indoor sessions were also held to increase the cricketing knowledge of the players on a wide range of topics that included the history of cricket, fielding positions, captaincy, laws of cricket and structure of West Indies cricket. The youths were also exposed to special lectures on topics such as peer pressure, public speaking, importance of education, personal hygeine, drug abuse, importance of discipline and choosing friends. The students were also involved in several quiz competitions where the youths received a wide range of prizes that included cricket gear and uniforms when they provided the correct answers. Foster expressed thanks to the official sponsors of the academy- Bakewell and the Guyana Beverage Company.

Head coach Winston Smith stated that he was very impressed with the overall discipline of the cricketers and expressed his confidence that the RHTYSC would continue to produce players of the highest standard. The RHTYSC cricket academy was first hosted in July 1991 and to date has produced over 128 players for Berbice. Seventy-five have gone on to represent Guyana while fourteen have played for the West Indies or the United States. They include Esuan Crandon, Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Dominic Rikhi, Askhay Homraj, Shemaine Campbell, Sheneeta Grimmond, Shabika Gajnabi, Neil Williams, Shawn Grant, Abel Fudadin, KhemrajMahadeo, Erva Giddings, Clinton Pestano, Delbert Hicks, Shawn Perriera, Junior Williams, Slyus Tyndall and Plaffina Millington. The highly successful club has also won five Guyana Cricket Board Club of the Year and recently won the BCB Club of the Year for the tenth time. The cricket teams since 1992 have also won a record 126 cricket titles at all levels including three national championships.

National Under 15 pacer Rafell McKenzie was named by the coaches as the cricketer of the academy for his discipline and dedication. McKenzie carried home a total of $300,000 worth of prizes including an e-bike, West Indies King Jewellery cricket medallion, electronic tablet, household and kitchen items, designer clothing and watch and cricket gears. The runner-up cricketer awardee was national Under 13 player Leon Reddy, who received about $150,000 worth of prizes.

Six players received financial prizes from Shemaine Campbell for having a positive mind frame at the Academy while another 15 players received gifts that acknowledge their potential for the future. The RHTYSC also honored its four members who recently represented Guyana at this year’s West Indies Under 19 female tournament and a total of twelve persons who made the academy a success. Each academy participant also received an educational package and a food hamper. A combined 1.8 million worth of prizes and gifts were shared out.

The management of the RHTYSC would like to express gratitude to all of the sponsors who made the academy a success, especially Bakewell, Busta, The National Assembly, Beacon’s café, SD and L accounting, Carol Trim construction, Regional Vice Chairman MrZamal Hussain, Channizam Agro Chemical, Minister Joseph Hamilton, Minister Collin Croal, FazilJafferally MP, GNNL, Desinco Trading, The Gift Centre, HA Snacks, V Net Communication, Colin Elcock among others.

The other awardees were:

Best Under 11 player: Devish Raghoo

Best Under 13 player: Randy Williams

Best Under 15 player: Jayden Ganpat

Best Under 17 player: Tameshwar Deonandan

Best Under 19 player: Romesh Bharrat

Most Disciple player: Munesh Rampersaud

Most Improved: Jonathan Hicks and Junior Babb

Most promising: Matthew Perriera and Akash Sooklall

Most Committed: Matthew Pottaya

Best Informed Student: Dharvish Narine

(RHTYSC Release)

---

• Floyd Benjamin, Rafell McKenzie, RHTYSC Bakewell/Busta Cricket Academy, Robby Kissoonlall, Ryan Algu

---