THE Berbice River Sub-Association will host a 40-Overs tournament for teams across the Ancient County, with France Electrical Company hopping on board as the main sponsor.

“When I became the president of the Berbice Cricket Board in 2018, I pledged that no sub-association would be left behind even if they didn’t vote for me. For, years, the Berbice River Sub-Association was just looked at as a provider of four votes for some people.

“That is no longer the case as they are now being treated equally as the other sub-areas in Berbice”. Those were the words of president of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Hilbert Foster as he launched another cricket tournament for the teams in the Berbice River Sub-Association.

Mr Uborn France, Managing Director of France Electrical and Construction Company has come on board to sponsor the tournament, which would be played using the 40 overs format.

At least four teams are expected to play under the BCB COVID-19 regulations and the top two teams would then travel to a venue on the coast for the finals, possibly at the historic Albion Ground Sports Complex. The teams expected to play in the tournament are Ebini, Wiruni, Sandhills and others.

Foster disclosed that over the last three years BCB has organised several tournaments for the sub-association and they have all been very successful while teams in the areas have benefitted from numerous donations of items including cricket gear, cricket balls, stumps, educational materials, water pitchers, school bags, trophies and medals.

BCB also donated $120 000 worth of coloured uniforms to the sub-association under the Clayton Lambert Gear Project. Foster also disclosed that for the first time ever a Berbice River cricket team would be participating in a BCB first division tournament, when they play in the historic semi-professional league, scheduled for August.

Great effort would also be made to send coaches in the area to host a mini cricket academy in the area. BCB expressed confidence that the standard of the game in the riverine area would result in players that would go on to play for the county and even higher.

He committed the BCB to organising at least two tournaments in 2021 but cautioned that the teams would have to follow all the COVID-19 guidelines.

He also reached out to Mr Navindra Persaud, Regional Executive Officer of Region 6 for his cooperation and support of Berbice cricket.

France, in brief remarks stated that he admired the outstanding work of the Foster-led BCB and was delighted to join the vast array of persons coming on board to assist.