… Organisers continuing with preparations

PRESIDENT of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Drubahadur last Wednesday issued a press release saying this year’s Berbice Cricket Board/Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Industry-organised third annual Independence Cup T20 is not a sanctioned event, adding that it is unauthorised and unapproved cricket.

The full message sent via email and signed by the GCB head and also carbon copied to several other individuals including Roland Holder of the West Indies Cricket Board can be seen below.
“The Guyana Cricket Board was made aware, via the media, that an unauthorised cricket competition dubbed ‘Independence Cup’ is scheduled to be played in Berbice on May 25, 2014.
All players, clubs, officials, venues and administrators are reminded that the list of approved cricket for Guyana can be viewed on the WICB website, www.windiescricket.com.
All members are requested to inform their players, clubs, officials and venues that sanction/penalties for participation in disapproved cricket can also be viewed on the WICB website.
I take this opportunity to remind all stakeholders that the authority for approving cricket, not on the pre-approved list, is the West Indies Cricket Board, who may delegate such authority to the Guyana Cricket Board.
The Berbice Cricket Board is not authorised to approve cricket not listed on the WICB list of approved cricket. All players, clubs, cricket associations, members of the GCB, officials and sponsors are hereby informed that the competition called “Independence T20 Cup” is unauthorised and unapproved cricket.”
Meanwhile, Chronicle Sport spoke with Chairman of the Organising Committee of the BCB/BCCI Independence Cup Anil Beharry via telephone and learnt that preparations are still ongoing towards the hosting of the event which is billed for the Albion Community Centre ground on Sunday May 25.
“Basically, we have not met as an Organising Committee, but we will continue with our plans to go ahead and host the tournament which is in its third year,” said Beharry, who also holds the office of first vice-president within the BCB.
He added, “This tournament is not a BCB tournament only, but a joint venture between the BCB and BCCI and one which sees all proceeds go back to charity and we are surprised to receive such a letter, as we never had such a problem before for the hosting of the tournament, which is included as an item on the Calendar of Events of the Regional Administration of Region Six at this time of the year.
In addition to that, it is one which brings families together for entertainment purposes, while at the same time enabling the two organising bodies who joined forces to make it a reality, namely the BCB and BCCI, to fulfil its mandate.”
Beharry said he hopes good sense will prevail and the tournament is allowed to play, adding that strong accountability is one of the backgrounds it has strived on, with the GCB being in possession of last year’s report.
Several prominent players from Berbice and Demerara, such as Assad Fudadin, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Rajiv Ivan, Shimron Hetmyer, Kandasammy Surujnarine, Jonathan Foo, Kevin Ramdeen, Raun Johnson, Christopher Barnwell, Leon Johnson, Zaheer Mohamed, Chanderpaul Hemraj and Tagenarine Chanderpaul among others are scheduled to compete on the day.

(By Calvin Roberts)