The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) under the leadership of Hilbert Foster, MS, continues to work behind the scene as it seeks to develop cricket in the Ancient County, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The board recently handed over cricket gear to 20 young cricketers drawn from across Berbice as part of its Youth Development Programme. The gear included batting gloves, batting pads, wicketkeeping pads, wicketkeeping gloves and helmets.
Players were drawn from several clubs, among them Albion, Port Mourant, RHTY&SC and Rose Hall Canje.
Foster stated that the donation was part of efforts to assist players to fulfill their talents, regardless of their financial situation.
Foster stated that finance for the project was made possible from funds donated to the BCB early in 2020 by Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh and Dr. Puran Singh, two overseas-based Guyanese.
Dr. Tulsi Dyal had sponsored a comprehensive coaching programme for young players, but the programme was placed on hold in the latter part of March, while his brother Dr. Puran had supported the annual national players stipend scheme.
Under this scheme, every Berbice player who gained selection to the national team at the junior and female teams would receive G$10,000.
The Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh Coaching programme has been on hold for five months after a busy first three months of the year. The programme was responsible for the preparation of the Berbice Under-15, Under-17 and Female teams and also the hosting of several trial matches to select the best possible teams.
Several coaching clinics were also organised while visits were made to over 20 clubs for coaching sessions with their members. The financial scheme never got off the ground for 2020 as all the Cricket West Indies tournaments have been cancelled and as such the BCB decided to invest the funds in assisting promising players, who have the potential to develop into national Under-15 players in 2021.
Foster handed over the gear to three of the players a simple presentation ceremony at the Area ‘H’ Ground and stated that the BCB would continue to invest in young players as the board intends to make sure that the legacy of Rohan Kanhai and Basil Butcher lives on.
He urged the players to remain focus and to continue training at home. He stated that once the pandemic is over the BCB would hit the ground running with numerous junior and female tournaments, while the coaching sessions would be expanded in 2021.
The 2020 Dr. Tulsi Dyal coaching sessions will restart in October with strict guidelines due to the coronavirus crisis.
BCB Head Coach Winston Smith would be visiting clubs to conduct sessions with groups of 10 players below the age of 10.
Clubs to be visited includes RHTY&SC, Albion, Port Mourant, Rose Hall Canje, Blairmont, Achievers and Edinburg. Plans would be put into place for the checking of players’ temperature, social distancing and washing of hands etc.
Meanwhile, the BCB also shared out 150 food hampers as part of the programme with each of the players receiving one, while several clubs also received hampers, compliments of the Singh brothers for distribution to their membership.
The BCB in partnership with the RHTY&SC has shared out over 5,300 food hampers to less fortunate families across Berbice, while over a total of 140 youth cricketers have so far benefitted from donations of cricket gears in 2020 with more to receive later.
The BCB President hailed the Singh brothers as dedicated supporters of cricket in Berbice and pledged that as long as he remains the head, Berbice cricket would continue to be the beacon of game in Guyana. (BCB)
