TREMAYNE Smartt during her cricketing career represented the West Indies in a combined 115 matches at the one-day international and 20/20 levels.

The 37-year-old former West Indies player last played for the regional team in 2018 during a tour to New Zealand.

Her successful career included 58 ODI and 58 T20 matches and she claimed a combined 85 international wickets with her impressive medium fast bowling.

Smartt who still represented Berbice and Guyana during the last week, created history when she was appointed the cricket coach of the Berbice Under-13 team by the Hilbert Foster-led Berbice Cricket Board (BCB).

Her appointment is historic as she would be the first female coach in the 83-year history of Berbice cricket to be in charge of an all-male cricket team.

She would also be the first female coach to be in charge of a male team in Guyana at the inter-county level. Smartt is one of the 19 cricket coaches attached to the BCB with the cooperation of Minister Nigel Dharamlall under the government’s 10- day job programme.

Smartt works with junior females and Under-13 players at the Area H Ground.

BCB president Hilbert Foster was very impressed with her positive attitude, patience, work ethics and ability to connect with youths.

Foster recommended her for the historic position and the recommendation was approved by the executives of the board.

The BCB president stated that once people work hard and honestly under his administration, they would be recongised and promoted.

He expressed confidence that the former international player would be successful in her duties as coach and make her county proud.

Foster also stated that the Level Two coach would go far in her coaching career and BCB was very proud to be part of the journey.

Smartt had earlier in the year coached the Berbice Under-19 female team to success at the inter-county level.

An excited Smartt expressed gratitude to the BCB for confidence in her and stated that she felt humbled to be creating history in Guyana Cricket. She noted that she was confident that her appointment would open the way to more female coaches in Guyana.

She also stated that BCB was working very hard to develop cricket across the entire county and she was very happy to be part of that effort.

Meanwhile, BCB has announced its team for the tournament.

The team would be led by Richard Ramdeholl with Tameshwar Deonandan as deputy. History was also created when 12-year-old Jade Campbell was named as a standby player in the team.

She is the first female in the history of the county cricket to be named as a standby player in an all-male team. She is the younger sibling of national Under-19 female player Jamie Campbell.

Chairman of selectors, Balram Samaroo, stated that the selection committee was very impressed with Campbell’s medium fast bowling and she claimed a wicket in both trial matches. He stated that she was one for the future and BCB would invest in her career.

The Berbice team: Richard Ramdeholl, Tameshwar Deonandan, Mohamed Balle, Lemuel DeJonge, Balraj Narine, Arif Marimutoo, Nathaniel Ramsammy, Arif Bacchus, Shahid Gajnabi, Denish Singh, Luke Amsterdam, Dave Sewpersaud, Leon Reddy, Raffel McKenzie, Arush Hemraj, Donovan Newland
Standby: William Castello, Fayad Gaffur, Jade Campbell, Kuamassy Mentore.