–Reg. 5 clubs, schools to benefit from bowling machines and concrete pitches

BERBICE Cricket Board (BCB) President Hilbert Foster has stated that 2023 would see major developments in Berbice cricket, and massive investment into County junior cricket in an effort to unearth promising talents for the future.

The year will also see the return of cricket at the secondary level and the historic introduction of the game at a competitive stage at the primary school levels, Foster said.
The vibrant cricket board late last year shared close to two million dollars’ worth of uniforms, gear and cricket balls to 23 secondary schools in the County, with assistance from Lochan Samkarran.

Over 65 primary schools in both Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) will shortly receive close to one million dollars worth of tape-ball bats and taped balls, as the BCB continues to invest in the school system.

On Friday last, the Board received two major sponsorships from Government officials, as part of the drive to lift the County even higher.
People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP) Faizal Jaffarally, a long-term supporter of the Hilbert Foster- led board handed over a sponsorship package of $500,000.
The funds would be equally divided to host the annual Jaffarally 20/20 Knockout Tournament for Second Division teams in West Berbice, while the other half would provide cricket balls under the Second Annual Jaffarally Cricket Trust Fund.

Twelve clubs in West Berbice would receive red cricket balls to assist them to play in the numerous BCB tournaments scheduled for 2023. The Government MP has been a massive supporter of the County’s games, and has even assisted with finding sponsors at several levels.

Region Five Vice-Chairman Rion Peters also readily agreed to establish a trust fund in his name, and handed over $200,000 to the Board during a meeting with a four-member BCB delegation led by Foster.

The funds would be used to assist primary schools with tape balls and bats for the upcoming inter-primary schools 10-overs tournament.
The Vice-Chairman also committed to assist with the construction of two concrete all- weather courts with nets at the Bush Lot United and Cotton Tree grounds.

Construction is expected to start shortly at Bush Lot, while the other one would start later in the year. The pitches would be a major assistance to players during the off-season rainy season, and also for coaches to conduct sessions with youths.

Clubs and schools in the area would also have access to a $400,000-worth bowling machine, compliments of the trust fund.
Foster, who was elected to the BCB presidency in 2018, had committed to obtaining four bowling machines this year, after the board coaching staff had requested them in order to work on the County’s youth batsmen’s ability to play fast bowling.

The BCB has already obtained sponsorship for two machines for the New Amsterdam/Canje and Lower Corentyne sub-zones, and is currently working to get one for the Upper Corentyne area.
Foster is confident that all four sub-zones would get their bowling machines by April 2023.

The BCB expressed thanks to Messrs Jaffarally and Peters for their investment in Berbice cricket. The Board is seeking to produce a total of 60 players for the national teams at the different levels, surpassing the 50 that were produced in 2022.