GTM continues support of GCB Under-19 tourney
TRUE to their motto, ‘Sound, Solid and Reliable’, the Guyana and Trinidad Mutual Insurance Company (GTM) yesterday for the 34th year continued to display their commitment towards Under-19 cricket in the Land of Many Waters.
At a simple presentation ceremony held in their Robb and Hinck Streets boardroom, Marketing Manager Aneeta Shivpersaud handed over a cheque for an undisclosed sum to long-serving president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Chetram Singh, towards full coverage of this year’s tournament which bowls off on Monday.
Prior to the presentation of the cheque, GTM’s Company Secretary/Human Resources Manager, Edward Persico, lauded the efforts of the GCB to run the tournament, which has been a feeder to the national team on a yearly basis. He said his Company was pleased to be associated with same.
“We are pleased to be able to provide for the past 34 years the opportunity for young cricketers who are being given the opportunity to showcase their talent in this tournament, while at the same time realising their dream.
“This year’s sponsorship would be one with a difference, as we will be providing full sponsorship for the tournament, with the cheque covering expenses for uniforms, meals, incentives and transportation for the various teams,” said Persico.
In his thank-you remarks, Singh, who has been at the helm of the GCB for the past 20 years, lauded the sponsors for their generosity, stating that most of Guyana’s national players, with the exception of Clyde Butts and Neil McGarrell, were products of the GCB/GTM Under-19 Inter-county tournament.
“Over the past two years, your kind generosity has enabled players of the calibre of Brandon Bess, Devendra Bishoo, Amir Khan and Kwame Crosse to represent the West Indies at the senior and Under-19 level while Assad Fudadin played for the West Indies ‘A’ team.
This means that over the past two years, Guyana has produced five West Indies players who were all participants in the GCB/GTM Under-19 tournament, while Khan and Beaton, two members of Guyana’s 2010 Under-19 team, played first class cricket with the senior national team,” said Singh.
He continued, “I cannot begin to thank GTM and their hardworking staff who have made this tournament a success story every year for the past 34 years, as they remain the GCB’s longest partner in terms of sponsorship and even though we are approaching middle age, I am happy to say thanks once again for being there for us for another tournament.”
Singh further stated that all matches in this year’s tournament will be played at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, which would be rather unfortunate for cricket fans across the Diaspora of Guyana, as the inclement weather has prevented the GCB from taking the games outside of the city.
Apart from the championship trophy which will be presented to the winning team, over $300 000 in cricket gear will be distributed to players for individual performances, such as best batsman, bowler and tournament’s most valuable player (MVP).
Both the three-day and one-day format of the game would be played on a round-robin basis, with white clothing and red ball, instead of the white ball that is normally used for the limited overs format and according to Singh, the tournament is being structured to lead into the encampment period for the West Indies Cricket Board’s Under-19 tournament which will be hosted by Guyana.
Defending champions Cellink Berbice, who will be led by former national Under-15 skipper Shawn Pereira, open their defence against Essequibo, whose captaincy has been placed in the hands of Anthony Adams in the first match from Monday to Wednesday.
After a one-day break, Demerara and Essequibo will meet in the second round from Friday 17th to Sunday 19th before Cellink Berbice and Demerara clash in the final round from June 21 to 23.
The limited overs format gets under way on June 25, with Essequibo opposing Demerara and on June 27 Berbice will oppose Essequibo, followed by their final round clash against Demerara on June 29.