WITH the current rainy season in full effect, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), in another pro-active move, announced that it would be hosting the second annual Senior Elite Training Programme for 37 senior cricketers in the ancient county.
The programme is set to commence later this month when senior cricket coach Adrian Amsterdam returns from national duties as he is with the Guyana Under-15 team which is currently in Trinidad and Tobago.
Chairman of the BCB Special Events Committee, Hilbert Foster, who is coordinating the programme disclosed that the first training programme resulted in Berbice winning all the senior Inter-county titles in 2010 and as they are in the wet season the Board has decided to host the programme once again.
The main aims of the training programme are to make sure that the players are physically and mentally active for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) senior tournaments and to get them to understand the importance of being  sports ambassadors and role models.
The players, Foster noted, would be involved in training twice per week at the Albion Community Centre under the supervision of Amsterdam and several other coaches. Recently appointed Senior Cricket Manager, Mark Lyte, would also be part of the sessions and would be responsible for the theatrical part of the programme.
The players would be expected to stand the cost of transportation as part of their commitment to Berbice Cricket while the BCB would provide light snacks.
The senior cricket selection committee consisting of Chairman Mark Lyte, Romash Munna, Julian Cambridge and Neville Williams met recently and announced the 37 players for the programme.
Players named are asked to contact the BCB for further information. Foster said that the attendance at the Elite programme is compulsory as the Cellink Berbice Teams for the Guyana Cricket Board 20/20, 50-Overs and Four-Day Tournaments would be selected based on performances in BCB tournaments and attendance at the Elite programme.
Meanwhile, the Special Events Committee of the Board during the launching handed over Polo T-Shirts and Inter-county caps to the Cellink Berbice Female Team for the upcoming GCB Inter-county tournament.
Foster stated that the T-Shirts would be used by the team while travelling; players representing the county for the first time would receive the county caps before the game.
The 37 players called to be part of the Elite programme are: Sewnarine Chattergoon, Richard Ramdeen, Assad Fudadin, Devon Clements, Rajiv Ivan, Jonathan Foo, Delbert Hicks, Balram Budhram, Esaun Crandon, Arthley Bailey, Veerasammy Permaul, Brendon Bess, Devendra Bishoo, Ranga Latchana, Royston Crandon, Anthony Bramble, Narsingh Deonarine, Keon Joseph, Keyron Fraser, Krishendat Ramoo, Seon Hetimyer, Michael Newland, Steven Latcha, Moshin Perkhan, Manoj Pooranauth, Eugene La Fleur, Eon Hooper, Jason Sinclair, Raffiel Estriado, Sherwin McPherson, Keith Fraser, Maxie De Jonge, Raid Ally, Alex Amsterdam, Renwick Batson, Troy Mathieson and Harrinarine Chattergoon.