Wicketkeeper/batsman Delbert Hicks was last Saturday received the coveted Cricketer-of-the-Year and the Batsman-of-the-Year awards at the 23rd annual awards ceremony of the Rose Hall Town Youths and Sports Club (RHTYSC).
The audacious ceremony, held at the St. Francis Community Developers Training Centre, saw what was said by CEO Hilbert Foster to be over 2.2 million dollars in prizes being handed out to the deserving cricketers
giving them added incentive to mould their game in the vein of the club’s motto; “In pursuit of excellence”.
The awardees received a plethora of cricket gear, hampers, jewellery and electronic devices as sponsors recognised the club’s role as not only a developmental institution but a non-profit organization which plays a massive role in community oriented programmes.
Berbice off spinner Eon Hooper was given the Bakewell second-division Bowler and Cricketer-of-the-Year awards.
He was also the recipient of a special Benefit-of-the-Year award for showing the most commitment during the calendar year March 2012- April 2013.
West Indies female dynamo, Shemaine Campbell, was rewarded for her century (105) made against Sri Lanka which remains the only Guyanese international century to be made in women’s cricket.
Campbell was duly awarded the Metro Batter and Female Cricketer-of-the- Year award.
At age 20, she has already played 44 ODI’s for the West Indies.
Her female counterpart, Erva Giddings, also a national player, was awarded the Metro Female Bowler-of-the-Year award.
Campbell, along with Assad Fudadin, were rewarded for being the club’s West Indian players after Fudadin finally made an international appearance for the West Indies against England.
The Pepsi Intermediate awards went to Eon Hooper (Bowler-of-the-Year) and Jason Sinclair (Batsman and Cricketer-of-the-Year), while national under 19 captain Shawn Perriera received the Gizmos and Gadgets first-division award for being the Bowler-of-the-Year. The leg-spinner was also awarded for being the runner-up Cricketer-of-the-Year while Renwick Batson was awarded as the club’s highest run scorer and best all-rounder for the year awards.
Former national under 19 players Lloydel Lewis (Fielder-of-the -ear) and Dominic Rikhi (Most Committed Player) were also rewarded for their diligence.
The Under 21 awards went to Shailendra Shameer, Bowler-of-the-Year and Batsman and Cricketer-of-the-Year Clinton Pestano, who had a productive senior Inter County season for Berbice.
The Pepsi Under 19 Awards were given to Arif Chan for being the Batsman-of-the-Year and Shawn Perreira for being adjudged the Bowler and Cricketer-of-the-Year.
The Bakewell Under 17 awards were given to Brandon Persaud (Batsman-of-the-Year), and Shameer (Bowler and Cricketer-of-the-Year). The Farfan and Mendes Limited Under-15 awards were received by Joshua Gobin and Brandon Persaud (Bowler and Cricketer-of-the-Year respectively).
At the ceremony which included former West Indies middle order batsman Basil Butcher and Malcolm Peters, a former president of the Berice Cricket Board, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Justin Nedd, charged the youths to remain disciplined both on and off the field and reminded the cricketers that it was disclipline and not merely talent that leads to success. Cricket legend Basil Butcher, charged the youths to continue striving for success while Peters recognized the club’s achievements both on and off the field as a charitable organization.
CEO Foster spoke proudly of the club’s achievements over the years which culminated with the club receiving an award from the International Olympic Committee in 2012 as well being adjudged the BCB Club-of-the-Year for the sixth time in its 23-year history.
Since its formation in 1990 the RHTYSC has expanded its agenda to include those activities under the sub-headings of charity, anti-drugs, social, pro-education, religious, youth development, and community development while consistently recognizing stalwarts of the community, as it did at the awards ceremony when the club recognized four retired teachers selected by the Berbice Teachers Union for outstanding service.
