… $300 000 in cricket balls to be distributed

… President Ali’s ‘Corridor of Unity’ Trophy to be exciting

PRESIDENT of Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Bissoondyal Singh, met with member clubs of the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB), from Ogle to Abary, on November 13, at the LBI Cricket Facility where a number of key issues were discussed.

This meeting was the first of a planned series of outreach programmes. Singh reported that early in 2021 both the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) held long-overdue elections in accordance with the Guyana Cricket Administration Act 2014. The East Coast Cricket Board is one of the five constituent members of the DCB.

Singh informed the meeting that the National COVID-19 Task Force had instructed that all cricket activities be suspended. Permission from the Task Force to resume cricket was recently received. Singh explained that cricketers, officials and spectators would have to be fully vaccinated as a prerequisite for involvement in cricket activities.

Singh noted that there are two ECCB competitions to be completed, after which new competitions will commence and that a number of sponsors are already on board, including Rockaway Group of Companies of New York and Motor Trend. Additionally, the Elizabeth Styles Cricket Competition will be expanded.

Head of the competitions list is the President of Guyana H.E. Dr Mohamad Irfaan Ali’s ‘Corridor of Unity Trophy’ competition.

This corridor is from Lusignan to Golden Grove and the clubs are Lusignan Cricket Club, Buxton ‘Carl Hooper’ Cricket Club, Enterprise ‘Busta’ Cricket Club, Paradise Cricket Club, Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club, and Golden Grove Cricket Club. This is expected to be an exciting tournament since these teams comprise many talented players.

Singh informed members that ECCB will be staging competitions in the U-15, U-17 and U-19 categories as well as first and second-division cricket. He urged the clubs to commence preparation for these competitions.
The senior clubs were encouraged to field teams at all age levels and to include female cricket in their development plans. Additionally, first-division clubs in the five Associations of the DCB will, for the first time, have the opportunity to play in an all-inclusive cricket competition.

As a conciliatory approach to cricket governance on the East Coast, the GCB president indicated that the East Coast Cricket Committee (ECCC) will be absorbed into the ECCB and that some of the ECCC committee members will be invited to serve on sub-committees of the ECCB. In this regard, a meeting will be held shortly.

Singh further stated that the ECCB’s Academy will be expanded and urged the clubs to be more aggressive as it relates to getting the youngsters involved. He noted that this will be a challenge but we must prevail. “If we are going to succeed then it is important that we make the ultimate sacrifice as administrators to deliver, Guyana’s children are depending on us and we must deliver”.

At the end of the meeting, Singh thanked the members for attending what was a highly successful meeting. He asked for the continued support and cooperation to ensure the progress of development of cricket on the East Coast of Demerara.

ECCB cricket events for 2022: U-15 Competition – sponsored, President Ali’s ‘Corridor of Unity’ Trophy – sponsored, U-17 Competition – sponsored, U-19 Competition.
ECCB President’s Cup Competition (Open) – sponsored, Elizabeth Styles Competition (Open) – sponsored
ECCB Trophy (Open), T20 Competition, First-Division Competition, ECCB Academy to be expanded,
$300 000 worth of balls to be distributed