..MoE plays Beharry Group in 15-over curtain raiser

NINE grounds across three counties and 54 matches and today it has come: the final and the important match at the Enterprise Community Centre ground where Annandale Secondary and Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) will face-off in the highly anticipated final of the Beharry Group National U-19 schools T20 cricket tournament, organised by Petra in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
On the road to what is expected to be a pulsating final, “Annandale” beat Abram Zuil Secondary by seven wickets in Eliminator 2. IBE had earlier beaten Abram Zuil in the Qualifier to advance
directly to the final.
Today’s final will be preceded by a 15-over feature between the Beharry Group X1, led by Delon Lynch of Sterling Products Ltd and the Ministry of Education XI, captained by Nicolas Fraser,
Head of the Ministry’s Unit of Allied Arts
The well-marketed tournament, (first ever national school’s cricket tournament in Guyana), went one step further yesterday when a CPL-like press briefing was held at the Beharry Group
building on Charlotte Street.
The captain, vice-captain and coach of two teams were also present.
The skipper of Annandale Secondary, Joshua Bollers, informed the media that himself and his Vice-Captain Ruel Dindyal have both played at youth level for Guyana.
“If a few other players can chip in today and play their best cricket, I am confident of creating an upset against a team [that] is strong on paper…but a lot will depend on me and Dindyal with
the bat and ball” said the Malteenoes all-rounder.
Dindyal is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 17 scalps.
National U-19 left-arm spinner Gilbert Griffth, Brandon
Grimmond (U-16), Nicquan Fraser (U-16) and Luke Amsterdam
(U-16)
Amsterdam is the tournament’s leading runs scorer with 362 runs from seven matches with a highest score of 114 not out.
The only other batter to score a century is Nanthiel Ramsammy, who made 160 in the Berbice Zone at Albion.
BEI’s Captain Griffth, a man of few words, said cricket is not played on paper and stressed that if everyone pulls their weight, his team will surely win today.
Troy Peters of Petra said there will the best from the East Coast of Demerara in Annadale Secondary and the best from East Berbice in the BEI.
“These teams have shown their prowess against top-class teams from across Guyana, so tomorrow [today] we expect nothing but the best,” said Peters
Peters thanked the Beharry group for their sponsorship of this tournament which has laid an important phase in the development of Guyana’s cricket
“We have seen a festive atmosphere with [the] Beharry group promoting the products and services during the matches and the all-round support in leaving nothing undone in planning and
execution of the tournament.
“The commitment shown by the companies in the group tells a very unique story,” Peters added. Fraser told the gathering that a few years ago he had talks with Troy Peters about getting a sponsor for the proposed tournament.
“I know things started out small, but it is the first [time] I’ve seen something in its first year so big. I am impressed by the scope and it will get bigger if everyone, including the parents, come on [board], he” stated

Fraser said that there are areas that need improving, such as coaches going into schools to prepare the players before the start of the competition, having more qualified umpires at all the games
and getting gear into schools. “In soft- or tape-ball cricket you don’t [need] pads and thigh pads and so on…but playing with a hard ball means you have to have protection. But overall, this was a well-run tournament and it [was] well promoted.
I am sure that next year we will see lots of improvements in every aspect.
We must commend tournament Coordinator Azizi Christani, Karishma Ramnauth from the Ministry of Education, Nareza Latif and everyone, including the media, for all the work they
have done.
This is [he] beginning of a new culture,” concluded Frazer. Trinidadian Kristy-Ann Ramsamooj, Marketing Manager Restaurant Operations on behalf the Beharry Group said the group was proud to be a part the development of youths, while Azizi Christani spoke about the impact of the players stats wise.