Dear Editor,
I am amazed at the remarkable progress of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) during the past four years in terms of competitions, under 15, under 17, under 19 and seniors as well as the coaching sessions in fielding, bowling and batting due to the wide sponsorship of past and present cricketers as well as overseas-based Berbicians.
The BCB under the leadership of Hilbert Foster has achieved so much while the Guyana Cricket Board is engrossed in a power struggle which has engaged the Courts. One issue went as far as the Guyana Court of Appeal. What is disturbing is that elections have not been held for several years. What a shame. I will not say more on that issue. I will focus this article on the remarkable work of a former Secretary Mortimer George who has written five books and a magazine highlighting the progress of the 82-year-old BCB
George, despite his setbacks, with the assistance of his beloved wife and son Sheldon George, who has a Ph.D and is a Professor at the Boston University, was able to produce these publications which are very informative. Mortimer, an Inspector of Police who retired while he was acting as Assistant Superintendent in June 1983, is now legally blind and is very determined to share his knowledge using visual aids. The latest book: 80 years of Berbice Cricket – simply the best – highlights the history of cricket and traces back the formation of the BCB and its wonderful achievements in producing 17 Test cricketers starting with John Trim in 1948 up to Shimron Hetmyer in April 2017 and stated that in 1957 and 1958, a cricket phenomenon occurred when within a period of nineteen month, five cricketers – four from Port Mourant on the Corentyne emerged as test players: Rohan Kanhai, Ivan Madray, Basil Butcher and Joe Solomon. Lance Gibbs was the fifth but he is from Georgetown. Roy Fredericks from Blairmont and Alvin Kallicharran later went on board. The books list the names of Berbice captains, highlighting the longest serving captains in Romain Etwaroo nine years, Joe Solomon six years, Clayton Lambert five and Roy Fredericks four years, and highlights the remarkable achievements of both batsmen and bowlers. Reference was made to Alvin Kallicharran and Leonard Baichan scoring centuries in their first test appearance and Baichan scoring a double century and a century in a match. An all-time West Indies team was also named in the publication and referred to a Berbice Hall of Fame for cricketers and administrators. I served as Secretary many moons ago and the publication stated I was the youngest secretary.
Space does not permit me to refer to more highlights, but what I can say, my friend Mortimer had a lot patience and determination to put out these publications which set out in detail individual scores, record partnerships, bowling averages etc. These books are available at Austin Book Store, Church Street, Georgetown, the Berbice Cricket Board office in New Amsterdam, and at www.lulu.com
Mortimer George should be congratulated for his excellent work despite his unfortunate setback.
Yours faithfully,
Oscar Ramjeet
