Thirty UCCA clubs receive cricket balls

THIRTY cricket clubs that are members of the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association last Sunday received a box of red cricket balls from the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) under the BCB/Shimron and Nirvani Hetmyer Cricket Development Trust Fund.

The presentation was done at the No. 72 Cut and Load cricket ground by BCB president Hilbert Foster and UCCA president Dennis D’Andrade along with other executives of BCB and UCCA.
Foster, who has indicated that he plans to step down on July 31 this year to concentrate on his duties at the RHTYSC,MS, stated that the trust fund is being sponsored by West Indies batting star Shimron Hetmyer and his wife Nirvani.

The couple first invested into the fund in 2021 and earlier this year contacted Foster, with whom they enjoy a close friendship, to inform him that they would not only renew their support but increase the sponsorship from $1M to $1.5M for this year.

The generous couple also stated that their support to the fund would continue only as long as Foster remains as president, as they have full confidence in his leadership and vision for Berbice cricket.

This year the fund would invest $!M in cricket balls for clubs, $200 000 in educational grants and $300 000 in a one-day grassroots tournament and a female three-team tournament.

Foster urged the clubs to use the balls for the intended purpose and also to support Hetmyer in his cricketing career.

He stated that he was very impressed with the current state of cricket in the Upper Corentyne area and the dedication that all the clubs were showing.

This year BCB and UCCA have already completed the Vilatily Inc. 20/20 tournament while the Vishu Superstore 40 overs round-robin is currently being played and another 20/20 tournament would start later in the year.

Clubs in the area under Foster’s leadership have received balls for five successive years and have also benefited from donations of cricket gear, scorebooks, bicycles, educational materials, stumps, catching cribs, cricket uniforms, water pitchers, trophies, medals, raincoats and a pitch covers among other things.

UCCA president Dennis Da Andrade stated that when Foster became president in 2018, cricket in the area was in total decline and in just six months he was able to spearhead a total restoration and today, the game is at its highest level.

He stated that the BCB president has visited the area 110 times since his election in 2018 and is always available to offer assistance, advice and resolve conflicts.

Da Andrade stated that Foster was by far, the best leader that the county has ever had in cricket and Berbice could not afford to lose his leadership at this crucial state.

The veteran cricket administrator noted that like the executives of the BCB, the UCCA would also like to make it quite clear that it rejects the planned resignation of Foster and would like to urge him to reconsider his plans for the future.

Representatives of the different clubs also shared the same views, with one even telling Foster that they would be very disappointed with him if he walks away from them.

Another delegate stated that Foster was the only hope that youths have in cricket and because of him, they believe they have the best shot at fulfilling their cricketing dreams.

All the clubs at the fully attended meeting voted to support a motion moved by the UCCA president to reject the resignation and to express confidence in Foster.

The BCB president listened to the pleas of the clubs and while not making any announcement to them, stated that he was happy that they have confidence in his administrative leadership.

He also stated that Berbice cricket would be in safe hands once everyone on board develops a culture of hard work, dedication and looks after the interest of the youths and the game. He warned that personal ambition must never get in the way of the game.

Distribution of the balls would continue this Sunday to 14 clubs in the West Berbice area.