… $1M pumped into county cricket development

THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) will be looking to create history when it launches the Shimron and Nirvani Hetmyer Berbice Cricket Development Trust Fund at the St Francis Community Developers Training Centre. The launching would be the first of its kind to be launched in the Ancient County and represents the largest ever financial donation by a cricketer to the BCB, since its formation in 1939. The Hetmyers agreed to the formation of the Fund after reviewing a comprehensive proposal from BCB president Hilbert Foster. The West Indies middle-order player had requested the president to submit the document after they had discussed the idea. Foster explained that under the Trust Fund, BCB would assist clubs across the county with $700 000 worth of cricket balls while $200 000 would be given to a cricketer attending the University of Guyana. The cricketer must be living in the Canje/New Amsterdam or East Berbice Canje sub area. In the event that a suitable candidate is not found, the funds would be equally divided to four cricketers attending secondary school and preparing to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations.

The remaining $100 000 would be used to reward the Most Valuable Player for the four inter-county tournaments that Berbice is expected to play in 2021. The MVP of the Under-15, Under-17, Under-19 and Female tournaments would each receive $25 000 each. The couple made it quite clear that the sponsorship would continue for the duration of the current president’s term of office. Hetmyer, who led to the West Indies to Under-19 World Cup glory in 2016 and has been very supportive to the Foster-led administration, has, over the last three years, assisted with funds for the BCB/RHTYSC Christmas Charity Programmes, BCB Intermediate tournament and last handed over funds for the hosting of two grassroots one-day cricket tournaments at the Rose Hall Canje and Young Warriors grounds. Foster expressed gratitude to the couple for the support and stated that with assistance, Berbice cricket would continue to expand as the board strives to take the county game to its highest level ever. Meanwhile, the BCB has sent an official invitation to President Irfaan Ally to be the guest speaker at the launching of the Trust Fund..