By Jeff Trotman
The inaugural T20 hardball cricket competition of the Upper Demerara Cricket Association (UDCA) begins on Saturday with one match at the Christianburg Community Centre Ground. The game, which begins at 10:00 hrs, will feature Christianburg versus Dora.
The competition was launched at a simple ceremony on Saturday 27 September in the gardens of Hyacinth’s Bread and Breakfast, Manni Street, Linden. During the ceremony, UDCA President, Bradley Fredericks said 16 teams are affiliated to the UDCA but 10 have indicated interest in the competition. Fredericks said that since it is the first time that the UDCA will be holding a competition as an independent body, it is making allowances for two late entries.
The competition, which is being sponsored by Andrew Forsythe, Deputy CEO of the Linmine Secretariat, will feature a preliminary round robin of two groups with the first and second placed teams in the respective groups moving on to the semifinals.
Fredericks stated that one group will feature four teams from the upper reaches of the Demerara River – Muritaro, Young Achievers, Coomacka and Royal Champions. The other group will feature teams from Linden and will include Dora, a team from the lower Demerara River. The Linden teams are Christianburg, West Watooka, Bosai, Amelia Ward and Uprising Youth Stars.
UDCA Cricket Develop Officer Marvin Burns, stated during the launch that he is glad that a group of youths such as the Uprising Youth Stars are participating in the inaugural competition since it would inspire other youngsters to take up the game. He added that because organised cricket had not been played in the Upper Demerara Area for a number of years, young people have gravitated to other sports.
He further stated that the six other teams that are affiliated to the UDCA but have not registered for the inaugural T20 competition are: Ituni, Kwakwani, Aorima, Mackenzie Sports Club, Bayroc, Malali and Kairuni.
The two top teams in the competition will receive a trophy and a full complement of cricket gear as well as “other surprises.”
The first round of the competition will also feature Coomacka versus Royal Champions beginning at 09.30 hrs on Sunday and Young Achievers versus Muritaro beginning at 13:30 hrs. Both matches will be played at Yaryarribo, in the Upper Demerara River Area.
UDCA Secretary, Eutol Wilson, has stressed that this competition will be the first to be run off by the association under its new status as an independent entity under the auspices of the Demerara Cricket Association.
Several members of the Upper Demerara cricket fraternity are relieved at the recent passage of the cricket Bill in Parliament, which allows for the Upper Demerara Cricket Association to operate as an independent entity outside of the ambit of the East Bank Cricket Association.
