The Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) launched the Carib Beer/Friends of Cricket ‘Heroes Cup’ First Division two-day tournament at the Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) pavilion yesterday.
The tournament is being held to pay homage to local cricket legends and to ensure that players play the game the way it should be played, especially since a number of 20/20 cricket tournaments are being played. President of the GCA Roger Harper said that two-day cricket forms part of the bedrock of cricket and was part of the reason Ansa Mc Al decided to sponsor the seven-week championship.
Eight first division teams from Georgetown will participate in the tournament that will commence tomorrow. Harper thanked the company and the Friends of Cricket for partnering with the GCA to pull off the tournament.
“In an age of fast food and 20/20 cricket Ansa Mc Al still saw it important that they partner with us in this format of the game because we still think this is the bedrock of cricket development. This is where a cricketer earns his stripes and learns to play the game as it should be played,” Harper said.
He reassured representatives of the company that there will be a high level of competition throughout and it will be run in an efficient manner.
While no representative of the Friends of Cricket was present at the launching, Harper reminded media representatives that it is a group that has a love for the sport and wants to see it developed to the standard it was in the past.
Ansa Mc Al Public Relations Officer Darshanie Yussuf said the company is always willing to develop youth and sport in general. She added that it was also a good opportunity to honour great cricketers of the past who had played for Guyana and the West Indies.
The company did not disclose the amount of its sponsorship.