.. dedicated to the memory of coach Michael Hyles.

THE vibrant Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) under the leadership of Hilbert Foster would, on Wednesday, create history in Guyana when it launches its own coaching manual.

The launching is set for the BCB Office in New Amsterdam and is expected to be attended by senior board officials, youth cricketers and cricket coaches in the county.

Foster, who has spearheaded a major cricketing revolution in the Ancient County, is expected to give the feature address at the launching and then distribute the first set of the manual to some cricketers.

Plans for the manual started after the board was unable to hosts its county-wide coaching programme due to the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic.

Foster then suggested to his executives that an alternative had to be found to assist youths to improve their game and it was decided that the board should invest in a coaching manual.

The BCB president was able to obtain the necessary sponsorship, and a high-level team of qualified cricket coaches led by level three coaches, Winston Smith and Julian Moore, was set up to provide the necessary information for the booklet.

Other coaches involved were Leslie Soloman, Balram Samaroo, Travis Hardcourt, Tremayne Smartt and the late Michael Hyles . Information in the manual involves tips on batting, fast bowling, spin bowling, wicketkeeping, fielding and physical training. The manual also has special articles on the importance of discipline and education.

Other topics covered are field positions, ways of dismissals, umpires’ signals, while profiles of Berbice Test players and senior West Indies female players are also featured.

BCB public relations officer, Simon Naidu, stated that with the official launching of the manual out of the way, the board would now forge ahead with the hosting of four mini cricket academies across the county.

The academies would be hosted for close to two hundred promising Under-19 players in West Coast Berbice, New Amsterdam/CANJE, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne.

Each of the players attending the academies would receive a copy of the manual while the board also intends to assist its fellow county boards with copies if they request same.

Foster stated that the publication of the historic coaching manual was undertaken at great cost because the BCB is totally committed to the development of every available cricketing talent in the Ancient County.

He stated that with players having their own coaching manual they would be able to work on their own personal development at home on a regular basis and that club officials would also be in a position to assist them.

Most clubs in Berbice are without the services of a cricket coach and the manual should assist them to do their own coaching sessions.

The BCB president made it quite clear that the manual would be distributed free of cost. The booklet was made possible with the support of overseas-based sponsors, Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh. Dr Puran Singh and Brian Ramphal.

The BCB also decided to dedicate the manual to the memory of long-time cricket coach, Michael Hyles who died recently. Hyles had served as a cricket coach in the county for over four decades and had assisted to prepare the document before his sudden death.