THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has commenced plans for what could be a busy 2021 season, barring COVID-19, as the entity recently renewed its partnership with Nand Persaud Co. Ltd.

Last week, the board received its first 2021 sponsorship from Minister of Agriculture, Mr Zulifar Mustapha for an Under-15 tournament while last Thursday the board finalised the sponsorship of its annual female 20/20 tournament with Nand Persaud Co..Ltd.

BCB president Hilbert Foster visited the company and held discussions with the company’s marketing executive Devesh Persaud.

The tournament would be contested by defending champions Rose Hall Town Metro, West Berbice and New Amsterdam/Canje on a round-robin basis. Foster proudly stated that BCB is the only county board to organise cricket for its female cricketers.

Foster stated that great effort would be made to play two more tournaments in 2021 for females, as the board continues to invest heavily in the game for the fairer sex. Additionally, BCB would also seek to arrange matches for the female team to play across Guyana.

Another major plan is to have the powerful Metro Female team play a Rest of Berbice Team during the final of the historic Semi Professional League for an attractive prize package.

With the BCB placing special emphasis on education as part of its developmental programme, one female cricketer would also receive financial assistance to assist her educational career.

The Nand Persaud Co. 20/20 tournament will begin early in the new year with matches expected to be played at the Area H Ground, Rose Hall Canje and Hopetown

Among the players listed to play are West Indies players – Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Sheneta Grimmond, Shabaki Gajnabi and Tremayne Smartt as well as Plaffina Millington, Dian Prahalad, Sherica Campbelle, Kantana Mentore and Marian Samaroo.

At the end of the tournament, Berbice selectors would choose the Berbice intercounty team, who would be part of an intense preparation camp with head coach Winston Smith.

BCB president expressed gratitude to the company for coming on board for the third successive year and assured him that the tournament would be well organised.

He also stated that the company would receive widespread public relations coverage Devesh Persaud noted that his company was delighted to support Berbice cricket as it was impressed with the work of the board and its effort to develop female cricket even more.

Meanwhile, three other youth cricketers from the West Berbice area have benefitted from the work of the board under its Patron Fund.

The youths, drawn from cricket clubs in Bush Lot Village, received a piece of cricket gear from donation by Patron Vickram Bharrat, Minister of Natural Resources.

Two players carried home a pair of batting gloves while one received a pair of batting pads. Over the last 30 months, more than 200 youths have benefitted from donations of cricket gear, uniforms and bicycles while hundreds more have received educational materials including school bags.

Foster disclosed that the assistance programme is expected to be expanded shortly while dozens of youths would receive more cricket gear in a joint project with former West Indies opener Clayton Lambert.