NBS launches 9th GCA’s 2nd Division 40-over tourney…

By Sean Devers
YESTERDAY morning at the New Building Society (NBS) Head Office at North Road and Avenue of the Republic, the Bank launched the ninth edition of the Georgetown Cricket Association’s (GCA) NBS Second Division 40-over cricket tournament.

Chairman of NBS, Nanda Gopaul, said the bank, which has four branches in Berbice, one in Henrietta on the Essequibo Coast and one in Linden, supports sports across Guyana.

“While we are delighted to support sports, we (NBS) have developed a special relationship with the GCA since we began the sponsorship for the second division 40-over tournament in the city” Gopaul stated.

Gopaul disclosed that NBS sponsors a similar tournament in Berbice and Essequibo and it is hoped that the two winners from each County could, sometime in the near future, play in a National knock-out T20 tournament to decide the National Champions.

“NBS is very satisfied with the way the GCA has managed this tournament in a transparent, efficient and well organised manner. We are also proud that our sponsorship has helped to produce players who have gone on to play at the highest level” Gopaul asserted.

GCA’s Vice-President, former West Indies off-spinner Roger Harper, speaking on behalf of GCA’s president, Azad Ibrahim, who was out of the jurisdiction on official duties, said the GCA is pleased to be partners with NBS for over a decade.

“Guyana’s latest Test batter, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, played in this NBS tournament while several other players, some of whom are from outside of Georgetown, have gone on to represent Guyana at all levels,” Harper declared proudly.

The presentation of the cheque was done by NBS’s CEO, Anil Kishun to Harper in the presence of GCA and NBS officials.

The NBS tournament was inaugurated in 2012 (missed 2 years due to the COVID-19 Pandemic) and GCC, under the captaincy of Devon Lord, has won five of previous eight tournaments while the left-arm spinner led the ‘Bourda boys’ to the first three titles; beating DCC, MYO and Transport SC.

Defending Champions GCC, Guyana’s oldest Cricket Club, beat Everest under-lights at DCC in the seventh edition and defeated host, DCC, under lights in last final and have qualified for six of the eight finals, losing to DCC, (who has two titles) in the final of the fourth edition.

DCC and GCC have faced each other four times in finals with results being 2-2 while TSC has the won the other title when they beat DCC in the final of the fifth edition.

Ryan Hemraj will attempt to give GCC their sixth title in the ninth edition which has already commenced with five matches being played.

The competition was halted by the adverse weather and will resume once the weather improves.