PRESIDENT of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), Hilbert Foster, urged the 43 graduates of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club’s annual cricket academy, last Saturday, to uphold the high tradition of the prestigious club.

The club, which was founded over 60 years ago, has a very high reputation of producing top class players for Berbice, Guyana and West Indies.

Foster spoke at length of the importance of education and pleaded with the attentive cricketers to stay in school, to obtain an educational background, since in today’s modern world, all sportsmen and sportswomen are expected to deal with the media, sponsors, agents and the general public.

“National talent would only take you so far while an educational background would open doors of opportunities off the field,’ he stated.

Foster also urged them to develop a culture of hard work, discipline and dedication, respect for the elderly and a love of making a positive difference in the lives of those less fortunate.
He pledged the full support of his administration for the development of the game at the junior level and announced that in 2019, the BCB would host tournaments at the Under-13, U-15, U-17, U-19, U-21 and U-23 levels. Numerous developmental programmes are also being organized, including the Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh Coaching Programme and Annual Cricket Academy.

Foster hailed the outstanding leadership of the Albion Cricket Club.
Meanwhile, Foster handed over trophies, medals, cricket balls, educational materials, scorebooks to the Albion Club. Additionally, the BCB boss handed out three special prizes to three players of the academy. Young Berbice player Damian Cecil, whom Foster described as a future West Indies player, received a pair of batting pads. Most Disciplined Player N. Shiwpersaud received two special prizes, while Most Promising Player Tameshwar Mohamed carried home an educational package and a bicycle.

The Albion Cricket Club has produced five Test cricketers in Sew Shivnarine, Narsingh Deonarine, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul.