… Board targets bowling machines and concrete pitches in 2023

THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) as part of its comprehensive countywide youth development programme, handed over practice nets to 20 clubs with junior teams.
The presentation was done under the BCB/Dr Terrence Blackman project during a simple presentation ceremony at the board’s New Amsterdam office last Thursday.

BCB president Hilbert Foster stated that the main objectives of distributing the nets were to improve the ways how youths train in the afternoon, to allow coaches to do one-on-one sessions with promising youths and to allow a minimum of two youths to practise simultaneously. He noted that practice sessions at some clubs were difficult to organise due to low turnout of members and the presence of the nets would improve the situation.

Twenty nets, valued at just under $1M, were distributed to clubs including No 73, Skeldon, Radha Krishna Foundation, Port Mourant, Albion, RHTYSC, Rose Hall Canje, Tucber Park, Edinburgh, Mt Sinai, Achievers, Cotton Tree and Guymine.

Foster noted that Dr Terrence Blackman, a USA-based Maths Professor readily agreed to spearhead the project and was able to obtain the nets for the BCB. Dr Blackman handed the financial aspect of the transaction and the nets were handed to the board for distribution.

The BCB president expressed gratitude to the donor and hailed it as another red day in the history of the BCB. The full list of donors is Dr Rajesh Bisnauth, Dr Frank Denbow, Lennox Emmanuel, Danesh Chowrimootoo, Leary Fredricks, Rosalyn Baichoo, Warren Merell, 592 Properties and Construction, Guyana Business Journal and Magazine and Dr Terrence Blackman.

Since 2018, BCB, under Foster’s leadership has assisted clubs across the county with a wide range of items to assist them to fulfil their mandates of producing players of the highest standard.
Among the items were cricket balls on an annual basis, scorebooks, grasscutter, catching cribs, cricket gear, uniforms, COVID protection items, bicycles, water pitchers, educational materials among others.

The BCB president urged the representatives of the clubs to use the nets for the intended purpose and to take proper care of them Foster stated that the BCB was investing heavily into the development of new talents and urged the clubs to redouble their efforts to attract new members.

After a fruitful discussion with coaches and management of the different clubs, it was decided that the next focus of BCB would be constructing an all-weather pitch in each sub-association and obtaining several bowling machines.

The all-weather pitches would assist players to continue training during the rainy season and also for coaches to do one-on-one sessions with promising players.
The coaches recommended the bowling machines in an effort to improve the ability of Berbicians to play fast bowling. Foster committed the BCB to fulfilling the requests as soon as possible.