-sponsors confirmed
By Tiadi Blair
The Guyana Blind Cricket Association (GUYBCA) yesterday said it was well prepared to host the upcoming fourth regional West Indies Blind Cricket Council tournament next month following the coming on board of four sponsors. The tournament will be held from July 18 to 26.
Hosts Guyana will join Barbados, joint champions Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica to compete for championship honours. At a press conference yesterday at the Malteenoes Sports Club building, Thomas Lands, the GUYBCA named corporate giants GT&T, the Guyana Cricket Board, the New Building Society, the European Union and the Volunteer Service Organisa-tion in Guyana as sponsors but said more assistance was welcomed from other business entities and the public. The association said it has invested some 5.1 million dollars to pull off the tournament which will see matches played at the Demerara Cricket Club, Malteenoes Sports Club, Wales Estate and Enterprise Estate grounds.
President of GUYBCA, Mark Harper, said that the association was proud to host the fourth regional tournament and stated that Guyana will be able to showcase its hospitality and cricket facilities.
“Guyana is really looking forward to hosting a successful tournament and we are hoping that sponsors will embrace the tournament.”
Blind cricket in Guyana has become a sport embraced by persons who are considered blind. An established blind cricket player is Ganesh Singh who explained that before he became blind he took part in no other activities.
However, the disability changed his life and made it worthwhile. He now plays on the Guyana blind cricket team. His dedication to the sport has seen him play matches for the West Indies in Pakistan. National Sports Awardee for Disabled Persons in 2008, Oliver Kerr and Patrick Delon are also playing the game. The Guyana squad trains at the Gandhi Youth Organisation ground twice a week under the watchful eyes of Coach Bharat Mangru. Guyana’s first game will be against Barbados with joint champions Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica going head to head in the second match. Since its establishment in October 2005, the GUYBCA’s mandate has been to promote and develop the game of blind cricket. Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) coaches have also been trained by international coaches in the techniques of coaching blind cricket.
In turn, these coaches take what they have learnt into the community. A development drive programme has been conducted in the rural areas such as Bartica and Linden. GUYBCA members have also been actively involved in the executive body of the West Indies Cricket Council for the Blind.
The GUYBCA has also embarked on a number of fund raising activities which they say will aid the financial aspect of the tournament. Treasurer of the GUYBCA Theresa Pemberton stressed the need for more money to cover the costs that comes along with hosting such a tournament.
A breakfast morning will be held this Sunday at the Malteenoes Sports Club ground to raise funds for the tournament and persons who wish to experience a game of blind cricket can come out to watch.
