After a two-year absence of any major Inter-Club cricket in the Ancient County of Berbice, the newly elected President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), Hilbert Foster, is urging all cricket clubs to prepare for a packed cricket season.
Foster stated that teams in the county would be involved in tournaments at the junior, senior and female levels and he is urging all clubs to get their teams in shape, register with the BCB and to make sure that their grounds are ready or in order.
Foster, who served as Chairman of the BCB’s Special Events Committee from 2007 to 2014, disclosed that barring the weather, cricket matches would start by the mid of March, 2018. As the new executives are settled in, they will appoint the different committees and acquire sponsorship.
The BCB, within the space of 24 hours after the election on Sunday last, was able to receive commitment for six major tournaments and many more are expected to come in by the end of February, 2018.
Foster stated that cricket would be played at the Schools, Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, Under-21, Female, Second Division, Intermediate and First Division levels, while tournaments would also be played in each of the Sub-Associations at the Second Division level in an effort to support the development of Village Cricket.
The Sub-Associations that would benefit from internal cricket tournaments are Central/Upper Corentyne, Lower Corentyne, New Amsterdam/Canje, Berbice River and West Berbice. Cricket Committees would be established in each Sub-Association to assist the BCB to run off the tournaments.
The BCB would also be working with the Ministry of Education to organise tournaments and coaching programmes for Primary and Secondary Schools. Foster also stated that a comprehensive coaching programme, including the hosting of a Berbice Cricket Academy, is on the cards for 2018.
The Under-15 tournament would be played two innings per game, while the Under-17, Under-19, Under-21 and Females would be 50-over per side. First Division would benefit from at least five cricket tournaments in 2018 at the 20/20, 40-over and 50-over level, while plans are also on stream for Berbice teams at the different levels to tour Guyana as part of a developmental programme.
The BCB would also be putting together a pool of cricket coaches to visit different areas around Berbice to work along with clubs to develop new talents. While the emphasis in 2018 would be cricket on the field, the BCB would also be undertaking several off the field activities, including Annual Review Magazine, Cricket Academy, Award Ceremony, First Aid Clinic, Elite Training Programme and the publication of Cricket Educational Materials.
Foster committed himself to being a President for all Berbicians and stated that under his leadership all clubs, players and officials would be treated equally.
“Every youth in Berbice would be given a fair chance of playing for Berbice, in spite of race, creed or the club they play for,” he said.
Noting that the election is now finish, he issued an appeal for unity as the sole purpose should be the development of Berbice Cricket. He welcomed ideas and recommendations from all stakeholders while announcing that he and his executives would be meeting with all clubs and officials shortly to listen to their ideas.
Foster noted that he has the support of a dynamic team that includes a wide array of professionals who are all committed to lifting Berbice Cricket.
Foster, who is the serving Secretary/CEO of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation, the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, predicted that within the next six months, all the complaining of no cricket being played would be memories of the past and Berbice Cricket would be the pride of Guyana.
The new executives of the BCB for 2018 are President Hilbert Foster, Vice-Presidents Jevaughn Stephens, Albert Smith and Qualis Winter, Secretary Rabindranauth Saywack, Assistant Secretary Ameer Rahaman, Treasurer Dr. Cecil Beharry and Assistant Treasurer Winston Roberts.
