23rd edition of Albion Community

THE 23rd edition of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club’s Cricket Academy is set to commence tomorrow at the Albion Community Centre.

Over 60 young cricketers between the ages of eight and 17 are expected to participate in the six-day academy, which is sponsored by Connecticut, USA’s Businessman Nizul Hussain of Northeast Connecticut Renovation and Retailers Property Management.

Hussain, a hard-hitting opening batsman who represented the Club at all levels over the years, prior to his migrating to the United States of America (USA), has sponsored the academy for the fourth straight year to the value of over G$330,000.

At a simple launching ceremony held recently at the Albion Community Centre’s Main Hall, Hussain addressing the gathering via telephone from the USA, expressed his continued delight to be associated with the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, a Club which he stated had played a vital role in his development, not just as a cricketer but generally as an individual.

“I am delighted to be afforded the opportunity to continue to support my Club. This Club has not just played a vital role in my development as a cricketer but generally as an individual.”

He further stated: “I am a product of the Albion Cricket Academy and I am aware of the benefits that this Cricket Academy brings and will continue to bring towards Albion’s cricket and the development of young people as a whole”.

President of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, Vemen Walter, thanked Hussain for his continued support to Albion’s cricket, stating that Hussain, like many other former Albion cricketers, continues to remember his roots.

“I want to thank Mr. Hussain for his continued support toward Albion’s cricket. Like many other former Albion cricketers, he continues to remember his roots and as such, he must be applauded. This Albion Cricket Academy is a calendar event on the Club’s cricket development programme and has contributed tremendously towards the development of Club’s young talents over the years and I am certain that the 2025 Academy will be no different.”

Sessions will be held daily from 08:30h to 15:00h.

The morning sessions will comprise of lectures/discussions of topics such as the importance of education, discipline, public speaking, substance abuse, health and safety, motivation, the laws of cricket, among others.

In the afternoon, participants will be exposed to fundamentals of the game of cricket.

Former West Indies opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon, the Club’s Head Coach and one of six Test cricketers produced by Albion, leads the academy’s coaching staff, which also includes two other Albion and West Indies cricketers, Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul, along with Zameer Khan and the experienced Fabian Naiken, who travelled from Canada to join the coaching team.

Several prominent national coaches are also expected to conduct specialised sessions.

Meanwhile, apart from sponsorship from Hussain’s Northeast Connecticut Renovation and Retailers Property Management, former Albion Test Cricketers Devendra Bishoo and Sewnarine Chattergoon have also made financial contributions towards the academy.

Additionally, former Albion, Berbice Senior Inter-County and Guyana Under-19 off-spinner, Orvin Mangru of Orvin Mangru Contracting Services has donated 30 cricket balls.

The Club’s Administrative Officer, Simon Naidu, is the Chief Coordinator of the Academy.