BCB to assist 90 cricket clubs with cricket balls

THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) will this weekend start the distribution of $1M worth of cricket balls to 90 clubs across the county.
The balls would form part of the 2022 edition of the BCB/Shimron and Nirvani Hetmyer Cricket Trust Fund.

The West Indies middle-order batter and his wife have been sponsoring the Trust Fund since 2021 and indicated that they would continue to do so, as long as the current president, Hilbert Foster, remains in office.
Foster stated that Mrs Hetmyer contacted him two weeks ago to inform him that they were interested in not only renewing their support but to increase the funds from $1M to $1.5M.

Last year, the couple had assisted the board to donate $700 000 worth of balls across the county while $200 000 was used for educational grants to students living in the New Amsterdam/Canje area. The remainder was used for MVP programmes and coaching.

In this year’s edition, $1M would be used for the distribution of red cricket balls while $200 000 would be given out as educational grants.
Foster explained $300 000 would be used for the hosting of a one-day grassroots tournament and a three-team female tournament involving West Berbice, New Amsterdam/Canje and Rose Hall Town Metro.

The grassroots tournament would be played in Canje and would involve four teams including Young Warriors and Rose Hall Canje.
The BCB president also disclosed that under the educational grants, a female national player would receive a grant of $100 000 to assist her to successfully complete her studies at the Guyana School of Agriculture.

Foster hailed the assistance of the couple who have been very supportive of his presidency and noted that it was refreshing that current players are assisting in the development of Berbice Cricket.
The distribution of the balls would start on Sunday in the Upper Corentyne area where 30 clubs would each receive a box of balls.

The next area would be the West Berbice sub-association where 14 clubs are expected to benefit.
BCB since 2018 has assisted clubs with cricket balls and late last year donated $1M worth of white balls to the 11 first division teams and the Berbice River area under its Patron Fund.

Clubs and sub-associations in the county have also benefited from donation of gear, scorebooks, stumps, catching cribs, grass cutters, water pitchers, raincoats, uniforms, educational materials, pitch covers, trophies, medals, bicycles among others from the BCB since 2018.