Despite the Coronavirus crisis affecting global sport, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) is using the downtime to strengthen its capacity to further develop cricket and also make a positive contribution to the lives of the less fortunate.
In a press release the BCB said that it has received two lengths of pitch covers. The covers each have a length of 50 feet and a width of 20 feet and would be stored at the Albion Cricket Ground on a fulltime basis. The donation was made possible by the assistance of former BCB President Anil Beharry who obtained support under his Friends of Berbice Cricket programme. Those making donations were Noreen Gaskin of Sentinel Security, Tyler and Mia, Kalvin Somrah, Renwick Beharry, Raj Rebhel Mathura, Ian Bhagwandhin and Khemraj Tageram.
A delighted BCB president, Hilbert Foster, stated in the release that the policy of his board is to become self-reliant in an effort to cut operational costs so that more funds can be pumped into developmental programmes such as coaching.
With the BCB now having its own cricket covers, the Competitions Committee would now be in a better position to organise semifinals and finals in traditional venues where there might be no covers, the release stated.
Foster, in the release, expressed gratitude to the Friends of Berbice Cricket Fund and reassured them that the covers would be taken care of.
The first edition of the fund raised $830,000 in 2018 and, according to the release, the funds were used to purchase cricket balls for clubs across the county.
With the season abruptly closed since late February, the BCB office has also been closed but the staff has been paid, the BCB declared.
The BCB, the release stated, was currently hosting a Coronavirus Food hamper drive along with 10 cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) to distribute 500-600 hampers to less fortunate families across Berbice.
It is also sharing out face masks in its efforts to combat the deadly virus, the release stated.
The BCB is also on the verge of creating a Berbice Cricket flag and emblem as it forges ahead with its vision. The flag would be flown at all BCB cricket finals and events while the emblem would also be placed on all BCB souvenirs including Inter-County caps, shirts and cups among others, stated the release.
Under Foster’s leadership, the BCB has organised semifinals and finals at non- traditional venues like Fyrish, No69, Cotton Tree, NO72 Cut and Load, Hampshire in an effort to promote the game at the grassroot level and this would be expanded when the cricket season restarts later in the year, the release pointed out.
Since the election of the Foster-led administration, the BCB has also undertaken the complete restoration of its New Amsterdam-based head office and obtains items for the smooth operation of its business, it was stated in the release. The BCB hopes in the future to purchased its own vehicle, construct a modern indoor cricket facility and to host a Premier Professional league for its cricketers, the release ended.
