For the fifth year in succession the National Communications Network will be sponsoring an Under-15 cricket tournament in Berbice.
On Friday at its boardroom, Homestretch Avenue. NCN and the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) launched the fifth annual NCN Inter-Zone Under 15 tournament in the confines of the N.C.N boardroom on Homestretch Avenue with NCN announcing that it was providing sponsorship for the tournament to the tune of $210,000. Acting CEO, Michael Gordon, said that NCN “considers itself a good corporate citizen, and in that vein is involved in a number of activities, especially sport which helps youths channel their energy in positive directions.”Gordon, who is also the chairman of the Radio Needy Children’s Fund (RNCF), the charitable arm of NCN, said that the RNCF has been distributing sport gear, among other charitable donations as they continue their outreach.
He added that NCN was “highly impressed with the level of cricket as well as the cricket administration in Berbice which prompted the company to give an additional commitment to ensure the success of the tournament.
Gordon also announced that NCN intends to broadcast the semifinal and final on the radio as they did in the last edition of the tournament. NCN also used the opportunity to state that it is opposed to the rights of cricket tournaments being sold to private entities, but in the interest of national responsibility, they have been prepared to incur a loss as they exhaust every legal avenue to broadcast international cricket.
Four teams will battle for championship honours as well as $40,000 and a trophy.
The runner up team will receive $30,000.
Prizes will also be given to the third and fourth place teams as well as the man of the match in the final.
The participating teams are Lower Corentyne, New Amsterdam/Canje, Upper Corentyne and West Berbice.
After the tournament an elite squad of 30 would be selected for further coaching, while the Berbice Under 15-Inter County team will be selected using the tournament as a yardstick.
