Berbice associations get equipment under ‘Year of Investment’ initiative

The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), with the support of former Berbice, Guyana and West Indies opener Clayton Lambert, continues to assist cricket organisations in the Ancient County as it hits the ground running for the New Year.

The Board’s theme for 2021 is ‘Year of Investment’ and over 200 youth players are expected to benefit from donations of gear, bicycles, educational materials among others from the board. Numerous cricket clubs and organisations will also be assisted as part of efforts to help them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The BCB recently handed over a quantity of cricket gear, coloured uniforms and scorebooks to several organisations, including the Berbice River Cricket Association (BRCA), Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA), Berbice High School (BHS), Rose Hall Canje CC and the newly-formed Line Path Cricket Club.

The BRCA, Line Path CC and BHS received a set of cricket gear, while the UCCA collected a box of cricket balls.

The BRCA and Rose Hall Canje CC collected 15 pairs of coloured uniforms to assist them in their overall development, especially when playing at the first division level.

The combined cost of both sets of uniforms is G$240,000 and BCB President Hilbert Foster called on the clubs and organisations to care the clothing.

Noting that he understands the high cost of acquiring gear is affecting clubs to fulfill their mandates to members, he committed his board to assisting those clubs that need help.

He, however, warned that emphasis would be placed on clubs that have junior sections. Foster stated that the future of Berbice cricket depends on investing in youth and not on persons who are playing the game for recreational purpose.

The BCB would continue to organise cricket for all to play, but its investments would be in junior players, Foster reasoned. He stated that all clubs in the county would receive assistance of cricket balls later in the year, while some more would get cricket gear.

The Berbice High School is one of the top schools in the county and has produced a list of top cricketers, including Lambert and Shimron Hetmyer, while the Berbice River Cricket Association has been neglected in the past.

Under Foster’s leadership, the BCB has organised several tournaments for teams in the riverain area and has made several donations to teams.

History would also be created when a combined team takes part in the historic Berbice Semi-Professional League later in the year.

The Line Path CC was recently reformed after a long period of dormancy and approached the BCB for assistance. The UCCA is the most active sub-association in the county and has benefitted from numerous assistance from its parent body over the last three years.

Meanwhile, the BCB would shortly be benefitting from the sponsorship of another national player as Kevin Sinclair would be coming on board as a sponsor of a junior tournament.

Sinclair would be joining teammates Romario Shepherd and Shimron Hetmyer as sponsors of cricket tournaments in Berbice.

The tournament would be launched shortly.