FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD Gibran Yacoob is the latest young cricketer to benefit from Project Cricket Gear for young and promising players, is a joint initiative between Anil Beharry of Guyana and Kishan Das of the USA. Yacoob was the recipient of one cricket bat. The left-arm spinner who bats right-handed, has represented Berbice at the Under-15 level twice, including the recently-concluded Inter-County Championship.

Yacoob, a student of Skeldon High School, plays for Upper Corentyne at junior levels and No. 70 Spartans at the senior level. He expressed gratitude to the initiative and promised to work
harder on his game after average returns in the recent tournament.
According to Vic Bharosay, a representative of the initiative, “the project is happy to be associated with the development of young Yacoob and urged him to stay focus on his education
as well”.

Total cricket-related items received or purchased so far: $370 000 in cash, 13 coloured cricket uniforms, two trophies, 18 pairs of cricket boots, 31pairs of batting pads, 33 cricket bats, 29 pairs of batting gloves, 24 thigh pads, three pairs of wicket-keeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, 10 cricket bags, six bat rubbers, six helmets, one fiberglass bat and 10 boxes of white cricket balls.

In addition to the foregoing items, more than $600,000 worth of gear was donated by Sheik Mohamed, former National wicket- keeper/batsman.
All cash collected is being used to purchase cricket gear requested and not available at the time. To date, 72 young players, male and female, from all three counties of Guyana have benefitted from seven gear bags, two trophies, four arm guards, 31 bats, three boxes, six helmets, 27 pairs of cricket shoes, 18 pairs of batting pads, 24 thigh pads, one bat grip, 31 pairs of batting gloves, one pair of wicket-keeping pads, and three pairs of wicket-keeping gloves.

In addition, two clubs in the Pomeroon area received two used bats. Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenam Cricket Committees and Cotton Tree Die Hard also collected one box of red cricket
balls each, Cold Fusion Cricket Club 13 coloured uniforms, while RHCCCC received three boxes of balls, 15 white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicket-keeping
gloves, and a set of stumps and bails. Other beneficiaries are the Essequibo Cricket Board, the Town of Lethem, youth coach Travis Persaud (one box of red cricket balls), male and female
teams playing the traditional hardball and softball in the Upper Corentyne area, No. 65 Young Titans with 30 T-Shirts, youths of Just Try Cricket Club, Wakenaam Cricket Academy (one box of white balls), Shamar Joseph, Nehemiah Hohenkirk and Shamar Apple.

Cricket-related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients.
Talent spotting is being done across the country, and club leaders also assist to identify talent.
Progressive and well-managed cricket clubs with a youth programme will also benefit. Distribution will continue. Anyone interested in contributing to the project can contact Anil
Beharry on 623-6875 or Kishan Das on 1 718- 664- 0896.