MALTEENOES Sports Club, located at Thomas Lands, Georgetown, is the latest cricket club to benefit from “Project Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana,” the joint initiative of Kishan Das of the USA and Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Anil Beharry of Guyana.

The club was the recipient of six white balls and three red ones. Malteenoes has a rich history of producing several national junior and senior players, including Clayton Lambert who went on to play for West Indies senior team. The club is in the process of going through a rebuilding process and the project is happy to be part of this process.

The initiative also encouraged the club to work on its youth development programmes to also strengthen its nursery. The balls were received by former national youth player Shaquille Williams. Williams, who plays for Malteenoes and Young Warriors CC in Berbice, was very thankful for the balls and promised that the management of the club is working hard to return it to its former glory.

Total cricket-related items received/purchased so far: $460 000 in cash; 13 coloured cricket uniforms; two trophies; 20 pairs of cricket shoes; 33 pairs of batting pads; 35 cricket bats; 30 pairs of batting gloves; 25 thigh pads; three pairs of wicket-keeping pads; six arm guards; two chest guards; two boxes; 11 cricket bags; six bat rubbers; six helmets; one softball cricket bat and 13 boxes of white balls.

To date, 72 young players from all three counties of Guyana have benefitted from eight 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 rubber; 31 pairs of batting gloves and three pairs of wicket-keeping gloves.

Many other youths have benefitted indirectly, too. In addition, two clubs in the Pomeroon area received two used bats. Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenaam 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 and youth coach, Travis Persaud, softball teams in the Upper Corentyne area, No.65 Young Titans, Just Try CC, Wakenaam Cricket Academy, National fast bowler Shamar Joseph, Nehemiah Hohenkirk, Shamar Apple and the Leguan Cricket Committee, Essequibo.

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.
We take this opportunity to thank the latest donors and the media for the role they are playing in promoting this venture. Distribution will continue.
Anyone who wishes to make a contribution can contact Anil Beharry on 623 6875 or Kishan Das on 1 718 664 0896.