– Foster assures female players.

FEMALE cricketers will be treated with the same passion as their male counterparts and the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) would be investing heavily into their future. Those were the assurances President of BCB Hilbert Foster gave the female cricketers, as he spoke to them at the Rose Hall Canje ground last Sunday. Foster was speaking to the female cricketers as he continued his countywide consultations with cricket stakeholders.

The newly elected president acknowledged that female cricket was neglected in Guyana for too long, and the Berbice Board will correct the situation over the remaining months of 2018. The BCB, Foster stated, would host tournaments on a regular basis but urged clubs like Blairmont, West Berbice; Port Mourant, Upper Corentyne; and Young Warriors to form female teams.

Addressing the 30 female cricketers, Foster urged them to become students of the game by researching its history, rules and tradition. He told the attentive audience that included West Indies female players Erva Giddings, Shemaine Campbelle and Tremayne Smartt, that special emphasis would be placed on coaching so that they can correct basis technical problems before representing Berbice and Guyana.

Female cricketers between the ages of 12 to 18 years would be involved in the Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh Berbice Coaching Programme and the 2018 BCB Cricket Academy, scheduled for May and July respectively.

Foster, who is also the Secretary/CEO of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, also stated that the BCB would be investing in hosting Social Skills seminars, Educational Posters and one on one coaching, in a comprehensive effort to make sure that every female cricketer in the county fulfills her full potential.

The tournaments would be played for Females – 40-Overs, 20/20 and Double Wicket Competitions and, Foster urged the players to play their part by getting fit for selection to the Berbice Senior Team to play in the Guyana Cricket Board Inter-County Championship.

The first match of the BCB/RHTYSC 40-Overs Female Cricket Tournament was washed out after heavy rainfall just before the start of play.

The two teams – Rose Hall Town Metro and New Amsterdam/Canje played each other in a 15-overs softball match, in the presence of Albert Smith, Chairman of the BCB selection Committee.

New Amsterdam/Canje reached 96 for 8 with Odessa Cadogan top scoring with 43, Niveena Ramnauth,15, and Divona Frank,13. Bowling for Rose Hall Town, Plaffiana Millington collected 3 for 8, Shakeba Gajnabi, 2 for 20 and Mariam Samaroo, 2 for 5.

In response, the powerful Rose Hall Town Metro team reached 94 for 2 from 11-overs with Kassie Munroe, 40 not out, Kimmone Thomas, 12, and Uma Matadin, 13, not out being the principal scorers. The winning team would receive a cash prize, trophy and medals, compliments of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club.