By Rajiv Bisnauth

WITH its mandate to ensure that young and aspiring cricketers have the opportunity to showcase their talents, the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) yesterday launched the Noble House Seafoods second division two-day cricket tournament at the Malteenoes Sports Club.The tournament will see 16 city teams participate, and with the GCA continuing to place much emphasis on the development of fast-bowlers, this two-day competition will require pace-bowlers on all sides to bowl at least 25 per cent of the overs in any innings that exceeds 20 overs.
At the simple, but significant, launching ceremony, GCA president Roger Harper said that the GCA was very appreciative of the kind and generous gesture Noble House Seafoods has made for the fifth year in succession.
The former West Indies vice-captain underscored the fact that the tournament gives younger players a chance to develop their skills in the longer format of the game.
Harper also pointed out that the tournament over the years has produced two outstanding youngsters; namely Keemo Paul and Tevin Imlach, who went on to represent the winning West Indies Youth team at the Youth World Cup recently in Bangladesh.
Noble House Seafoods representative, Piercy Corlette, stated that his entity was pleased to partner with the GCA once again.
“Noble House Seafoods is proud to be associated with the GCA for this two-day competition. We are always there to support sports, but primarily cricket, and we are looking forward to a keenly-contested tournament once again, as some of the players would go on to play at a higher level around Guyana and further afield,” Corlette said at the press briefing.
Meanwhile, the GCA has issued playing conditions to all clubs competing in this year’s tournament and has requested that the clubs pay specific attention to the playing conditions, since those rules will fully be enforced.
The tournament commences this Saturday with UG playing GNIC at Turkeyen; Police Sports Club opposing St Stanislaus College at Eve Leary; Third Class Cricket Club taking on Malteenoes Sports Club at Malteenoes; DCC tackling Ace Warriors Cricket Club at Queenstown and Everest Cricket Club facing GYO at Camp Road.