Georgetown Cricket Club awards outstanding players of 2019

The Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) presented awards to the club’s outstanding young hockey players and cricketers at a special ceremony on Friday evening.

The GCC Hockey and Cricket Award Ceremony was held to celebrate the players’ performances during 2019, and according to the Club’s Captain, Richard Jodah, GCC had a particularly successful year in hockey and cricket.

“We have dominated the First Division in cricket, the Second Division…the Under-19, the Under-17 and the Under-15,” he said, as he praised the players for their performances.

Jodah said he looks forward to the Club building on the success of 2019 as it moves forward this year.

He added, “This is what Georgetown Cricket Club was born on, to produce and to give hope to cricketers, young hockey players and [help] all these sports players to harness their skills and succeed in whichever sports they choose.”

Meanwhile, GCC President, Timothy Tucker noted that the 162-year-old club is the oldest in the Caribbean and has produced over 22 players for the West Indies cricket team.

“As a whole, the club would have won the Guyana Cricket Board Club of the Year award, and I really think that is an outstanding award,” he said, adding that he hopes corporate Guyana will see the potential of the players and the Club, and partner to support the development of players.

“Our goal is to create a premier sporting academy; we would like to see our National and Regional teams dominated by GCC players,” he stated.

He spoke of some of the club’s goals for 2020, among which are plans to improve the facilities, add new sports, and build an all-weather practice facility for cricket.

“We have procured an ‘accident and injury’ insurance policy for all our players,” he said, explaining that the policy will cover players injured during GCC activities.

Delivering the feature address was President of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), K. A. Juman Yassin, who spoke of the difficulties facing sportspersons, such as the merging of sports and academics and the workplace, as well as the dangers of burnout and stress.

Offering words of advice to the players, he said, “Stay organised…talk to other persons, get a plan, write it down and stick with that plan. The other factor is to manage your time.”

Yassin urged the players to seek help when necessary and engage in self-motivation. “You have to talk to yourself, you have to see yourself as a champion,” he said.

In addition, hockey administrator, Philip Fernandes, commended the GOA for its committed and ongoing support of the sport in Guyana.

Also in attendance was High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, who lauded the good work being done by the GCC. He told the gathering that India is open to collaborating with Guyana for the development of cricket, which is a beloved sport for both countries.

Among other special guests at the event was Guyana’s celebrated former Test cricketer, Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Please see the list of awardees for the various categories below:

Cricket and Hockey Awardees

First Division

Leon Johnson:                 Best Batsman

Stephon Wilson:             Best Bowler

Ronaldo Mohammed:    Best All-Rounder

Bernard Bailey:               Best Fielder

Second Division

Winston Forrester:          Best Batsman

Stephon Wilson:              Best Bowler

Ronaldo Mohammed:     Best All-Rounder

Bernard Bailey:                Best Fielder

U-19/U-17

Mavindra Dindyal:     Best Batsman

Darrius Andrews:       Best Bowler

Zachary Jodah:           Best All-Rounder

Mavindra Dindial:      Best Fielder

U-15

Mavindra Dindyal:      Best Batsman

Johnoton Sooklall:      Best Bowler

Thaddeus Lovell:         Best All-Rounder

Zachary Jodah:            Best Fielder

Emerging players

Seniors

Ronaldo Mohammed

Stephon Wilson

Juniors

Mavindra Dindyal

Zachary Jodah

Taddeious Lovell

Darrius Andrews

Arian Persaud

Ravildo Philips

Krsna Singh

Joash Charles

Dominic Roberts

Jonathan Sookhlall

U-13

Fyad Mohammed

Omari Cummings

Yusuf Hack

Alex Balgobin

Promising Junior Wicket Keeper

Shaahid Vieira

Special Awards

Leon Johnson:                Most Successful Guyana Senior Captain

Ronaldo Mohammed:   Making the Guyana Senior Side

Zachary Jodah:               Making and Captaining the Guyana U-15 Team

Mavindra Dindyal:         Making the Guyana U-15, U-17 and WI U-15 Team

Thaddeus Lovell:            Making the Guyana U-15 Team

Krsna Singh:                   Making the Guyana U-15-Team

Richard Jodah:                 Invaluable Commitment and Contributions to Cricket

Peter Persaud:                 Invaluable Service to Cricket (youths)

Hockey Awardees

Marzana Fiedtkou:        Female Most Valuable Player

Dominique Degroot:    Female Outstanding Contributor on and off the Field

Kevin Spencer:               Male Most Valuable Player

Dwayne Scott:               Male Outstanding Contributor on and off the Field

Makeda Harding:        Female Best Junior Player

Abosaide Cadogan:    Female Most Promising Player

Kareem Mckenzie:      Male Best Junior Player

Meshach Sargeant:    Male Most Promising Player