National youth cricketer Nigel Deodat on Thursday last received $100,000 worth of cricket gear from the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club and Star Sports.
The promising all-rounder is currently representing Berbice in the Guyana Cricket Board/Hand-In-Hand Under-19 inter-county tournament which ends today.
According to a release, the Blairmont Blazers’ left-arm spinner received a bat worth $64,000 along with a pair of batting pads and gloves as well as a bag.
The 19-year-old visited the Enmore, East Coast Demerara-based store to accept the sponsorship.
The release explained that Hilbert Foster, secretary of the club, contacted owner of the store, Sheik Mohamed for the sponsorship and he readily accepted. “Foster contacted former national player Sheik Mohamed CEO of Star Sports for a sponsorship for the talented left handed spinner and he readily agreed to donate the bat, gloves and pads. The RHTYSC donated the gear bag,” the release stated.
“Foster, who is spearheading a Gear for Youth Cricketers programme in the Ancient County as President of the Berbice Cricket Board, met with Deodat during a meeting of under 19 players and committed himself to assisting the youth to fulfill his potential. The player who plays for the Blairmont Cricket Club lost his father 15 years ago and he credits his mother for his success over the years,” the release stated.
“Under Foster’s leadership of the vibrant cricket board, over 300 youths have benefitted from donations of cricket gears under a wide range of programmes including the Clayton Lambert Gear Project, Basil Butcher Trust Fund, BCB Patron Fund, the Singh Brothers gear programme and the RHTYSC Patron Fund,” the release stated.
According to the release, more youths are expected to benefit later this year when a large shipment of equipment arrives from England. Additionally, several clubs from Upper Corentyne would also benefit from a million-dollar gear project from an overseas-based Guyanese early next month.
Clubs in the county are expected to receive $700,000 worth of cricket balls under the Shimron/Nirvani Hetmyer Trust Fund and $300,000 worth of scorebooks from a Georgetown-based travel company.
Foster expressed gratitude to Mohamed, who played for Guyana between 1988 and 1992 for his continued assistance to the development of Berbice cricket. He also urged Deodat to care the donated gear and to remain focused and discipline.
A very humbled Deodat, stated that he would make both the BCB President and Mohamed very proud with his performance on and off the cricket field.
