– Coaching sessions to restart under strict COVID-19 guidelines.

THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has kept itself busy over the last six months despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and continues to make a positive impact on the development of the game in the Ancient County.

Dozens of clubs and junior cricketers have benefited from donations of cricket gear, cricket balls, stumps, scorebooks, and food hampers. The BCB also joined hands with the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club to distribute over five thousand food hampers and other items such as medical supplies, cleaning detergents and household items to less fortunate families and public institutions.

Additionally, BCB has hosted several programmes such as Father-of-the-Year, Mother-of-the-Year, Basil Butcher Cricket Development Programme and Youth Information booklet.

As part of its developmental programme, the BCB also extended an invitation to the Head of a regional Caribbean Cricket Board to visit Berbice. The head has since accepted the invitation to visit after the pandemic after which a BCB delegation will make a return trip.

BCB is also in discussion with numerous sponsors so that Berbice Cricket will hit the ground running when the permission is given to restart. Support for a second two-day tournament has already been secured for 2021. The board’s dream of having its own cricket pitch covers was achieved with the cooperation of former president Anil Beharry.

BCB president Hilbert Foster has also been very busy and over the last month has had official discussions with Region Six Chairman David Armogan, Regional Executive Officer Navindra Persaud and Minster of Agriculture Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha.

The BCB president is expected to meet shortly with officials of Region Five’s RDC and Minister of Sport Charles Ramson Jr. Foster stated that BCB is seeking to have an all-weather indoor cricket practice facility constructed in Regions Five and Six.

Minster Mustapha, who is also the Member of Parliament for Region Six, congratulated BCB on its outstanding work and committed to find funding for at least one of the facilities.

Proposals are currently being prepared for submission to the relevant authorities. The board would also be pushing the regional bodies to invest in some of the major cricket grounds in the county.

Meanwhile the BCB/Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh Coaching Programme will restart on Saturday October 3 with strict COVID-19 guidelines.

A maximum of ten Under-15 cricketers would be involved in each session. Players would be required to wear masks, practise social distancing, sanitise their hands regularly and walk with their gear for the two-hour sessions.

The schedule for the Coaching Programme is as follow – Date – Venue – Time

Saturday October 3, Port Mourant, 10:00hrs to 12:00hrs.

Sunday October 4, Albion, 10:00hrs to 12:00hrs

Wednesday October 7, Rose Hall Town Area ‘H’ Ground, 15:00hrs to 17:00hrs

Saturday October 10, Rose Hall Canje Cricket Ground, 10:00hrs to 12:00hrs

Sunday October 11, Edinburgh CC, Saturday October 18, Blairmont Cricket Ground, 10:00hrs to 12:00hrs

Saturday October 18, Achievers Cricket Ground, 13:00hrs to 15:00hrs

Sunday October 19, No73 Cricket Ground, 10:00hrs to 12:00hrs

Sunday October 19, Scottsburg Cricket Ground, 13:00hrs to 15:00hrs

Saturday October 26, Tucber Park CC, 10:00hts to 12:00hrs

Sunday October 27, Kendall’s Union Cricket Ground, 10:00hrs to 12:00hrs

Wednesday October 14, Area ‘H’ Ground, 15:00hrs to 17:00hrs