THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) under the leadership of its president, Hilbert Foster, last Tuesday received a massive donation of cricket balls and cricket uniforms for secondary schools as part of its soon-to-be-launched schools programme.

The items were donated by overseas-based Berbician Lochan Samkarran after a discussion with Foster.
Foster stated that Samkarran, who is a very successful businessman in the United States of America, was very pleased with the current development of Berbice cricket and wanted to play a major role.

After the duo had an intense discussion, it was decided that assistance would be provided to all 23 schools in Regions Five and Six. Each school would collect 15 pairs of white school uniforms and two boxes of cricket balls.
Additionally, the schools are expected to benefit from some cricket gear including bats, batting gloves among others. Among the schools to benefit are Tagore Secondary, Line Path Secondary, Central Corentyne Secondary, Lower Corentyne Secondary, J.C Chandisingh, Canje Secondary, New Amsterdam Secondary, Berbice High, Rosignol Secondary and Bush Lot Secondary.

Foster, stated that the gear and uniform distribution forms part of a comprehensive programme for all schools with a countywide coaching programme to be launched soon.
The BCB would also be unveiling another coaching project for over 100 primary schools in the county within the next two months while plans are been finalised for the hosting of a year-long Kiddies Cricket Academy for 100 kids between ages eight and eleven years.

The Kiddies Academy would hold weekly training and coaching for the most promising kids over a twelve-month period.
The BCB is also working to get sponsorship for the temporary employment of a minimum of 20 part-time coaches across the four sub-associations to work with the kids and primary school students.
Foster expressed confidence that a deal would be cemented in the next few weeks for the coaches to start working in what he views as the most ambitious cricket development programme in Guyana.