The year 2007 has been a very successful one on and off the cricket field for Rose Hall Town Sports Club.
So said club secretary, Hilbert Foster.
Speaking to Stabroek Sport at a simple luncheon held at the club’s pavilion on Friday, Foster highlighted the club’s many achievements for the year and also outlined its programmes for the year ahead.
“On the field of play, we had five of our senior players namely Esaun Crandon, his younger brother Royston, Assad Fudadin, Andre Percival and wicket keeper/ batsman Delbert Hicks representing Berbice in the Inter-County championships with the two Crandons and Fudadin going on to represent Guyana in the Regional Carib Beer and KFC Cup tournaments,” he recounted.
Foster said the club also exposed some of its younger players to Berbice first-division cricket, an investment which he said paid off well.
“We decided to give some of our younger players from the U-17 and 19 categories a chance to play first-division cricket in the absence of our senior players, and they gave creditable returns during their sojourn in the first division, with three 12-year-olds being amongst the lot.
“The diamonds in the gold-field turned out to be Shawn Perreira and Loydel Lewis who took 10 wickets between them when we played against the Berbice Youth Squad who were bowled out for 130 in the Telenec-sponsored Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) 50 overs first division competition.
“Perreira continued to torment the Youth Squad when he opposed them in the BCB Isaac Bissoon three day competition for first-division teams with a haul of 5-12.”
Foster said Rose Hall Town Windies Sports Bar reached the semi-finals of the GCB nationwide Neal and Massy competition where they lost to eventual champions Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC).
They, however, redeemed themselves with victories in the final of the Busta Champion-of-Champions competition defeating Albion Sports Club in the final whilst their under-19 and under-15 teams won the George Trim Memorial and Eric Lewis Cup competitions respectively.
The seniors also qualified for the semifinals in the Berbice zone of the national Carib Beer/Pepsi sponsored Twenty20 first division competition which is yet to be played.
Foster also highlighted the performance of the Rose Hall Town female cricket team, pointing out that seven of his female cricketers represented Berbice in the female Inter County competition, with national player Tremayne Smartt going on to lead Berbice.
She also represented Guyana in the double-wicket competition held in Trinidad and Tobago.
Corporate Guyana continues to pour financial and other assistance to the club to assist with its feeding programmes and other non cricket activities.
“This year we made donations to the tune of G$1.2m consisting of gear, stationery and uniforms to other clubs in Berbice. We also donated stationery and medical supplies to the BCB, whilst umpire Compton Vyphius was honored for his sterling contribution to cricket. Several young cricketers were also beneficiaries of cricket gear including Ranga Lachigadu and national under -19 opener Rajendra Chandrika,” Foster said.
Members of the Guyana and Leeward Islands cricket team were hosted at a luncheon where honorary membership was bestowed on Guyana and West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan along with Sylvester Joseph, Omari Banks and Ralston Otto from the Leeward Islands team.
Both teams also assisted the club in its feeding programme, and Sarwan also took the opportunity to donate $100,000.00 to the club’s education fund which is held under his name.
“On a sad note, we sponsored and handed over trophies to the BCB since March for its annual award ceremony, and to date same has not occurred, whilst on the brighter side of things, we have renewed our sponsorship with DDL through its Pepsi Brand for the Under-19 team, Farfan and Mendes under-15 and our new sponsors Windies Sports Bar who replaced Courts Guyana Limited for the senior teams, a total of $500,000.00,” said Foster.
The club also held several non cricket associated programmes during the year including (A Tribute to Mothers) programme held on Mother’s Day, and a tribute to heroes and seniors programme.
The club also provided a feeding programme where the lesser fortunate were provided with meals.
Foster said a massive HIV/AIDS campaign by the club is ongoing in the Berbice area targeting youths.
The players of the club act as the medium to get the message across in this programme which has the blessings of the Ministry of Health and is widely received throughout the Berbice region.
A monthly television show is also being used by the club on DTV 8 with two programmes “Focus on Youth and Sports” and “Cellink Musical” being used to sensitize the public.
Come 2008, there is a lot planned by the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club.
High on the agenda for the club’s competitions committee will be organizing several competitions which have already secured sponsors.
“We want to make the year 2008 a very active year for our members on and off the field. We will be working with the BCBC to organize several competitions for clubs and schools in the Berbice area, amongst these being a bigger and better Busta Champion-of-Champions competition, Twenty/20 competitions for secondary schools in Berbice where the winning school will be receiving a complete computer system and the runner up a 27-inch television set amongst other prizes.”
There will also be two major Twenty20 competitions for first-division teams in Berbice, one for second division teams and one for female teams.
Arrangements are being finalized with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) for a Twenty20 match between Demerara and Berbice which will be held in tribute to former Guyana and West indies middle order batsman Basil Butcher.
They also plan to continue investing their younger players in the first division category and are strongly looking at having their Under-15 team participate in the BCB second-division competition with the aim being exposure to cricket as part of their preparations not only for Berbice or Guyana cricket but the West Indies as a whole.
Construction work on the sightscreens, outfield and pitch are also slated for the year, and the club is hoping that the GCB will impart to them, the Stanford stipend to which they are entitled as part of the Stanford Development Project which they have been waiting 18 months for and have not received as yet.
Foster also took the time to thank all and sundry for their sterling contributions to the club during the year, especially Food for the Poor, Sterling Products Limited, Windies Sports Bar, DDL(Pepsi), GT&T (Cell Link), Banks DIH, Bakewell Limited, Ansa Mc Al, Farfan and Mendes Limited, Republic Bank (Guyana ) Limited, Guyana Beverages Company (Busta), Western Union, John Fernandes, Beharry Group of Companies, Ricks and Sari Limited, Peter Lewis, Roop Group, Metro Office Supplies, West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan and most importantly, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
