THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) last Thursday honoured former presidents Lennox Phillips, Ancel Hazel and Shimron Hetmyer.

Both Phillips and Hazel were presented with the board’s highest award, ‘The Hero Award of Excellence’ at a cocktail reception, organised by former secretary of the BCB, Mortimer George, and his wife at their Sheet Anchor Village home, The West Indies middle-order batsman was honoured for his brilliant One-day international hundred (125) against Bangladesh recently.

The former secretary told the attentive audience, that Phillips and Hazel were dedicated and honest administrators who worked hard to gain respect and recognition for Berbice Cricket.

The duo, along with George and the late Leslie Amsterdam, were in charge of Berbice cricket when five ODIs were played in the county and they also played major roles in the developmental works at the Albion Cricket Ground.

They were also responsible for hosting a team from Pakistan in the 1970s.

The county, during that period, produced players such as Alvin Kallicharran, Leonard Baichan, Sew Shivnarine, Milton Pydana, Leslaine Lambert, Tyrone and Romain Etwaroo among numerous others.

Phillips stated that serving Berbice cricket was the highlight of his life and urged the current executives to always put cricket in front of their personal ambition. He congratulated the Hilbert Foster-led administration for the outstanding work.

President of the BCB, Hilbert Foster, expressed gratitude to the two former presidents for their services to Berbice cricket and most importantly for being positive role models to the present BCB executives.

The presentation to Hetmyer took place at the Albion ground.

Foster congratulated Hetmyer for his brilliant innings and told the West Indies batsman that the entire county was proud of him.

He urged him to always be a perfect ambassador for the younger generation.