GCB Female U-19 tourney was a substandard event

By Delvon McEwan

At the weekend, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) hosted the Female Inter-County Under-19 T20 Tournament, and the event — which lasted three days — was as poor as operations at the Regent Road Head Office in recent times.
Putting all bias aside, imagine a tournament being used to select a national team, and in the process of play, the ball is bouncing several times before it reaches the batter; the percentage of extras is more than 40% of the total runs scored throughout the tournament; players from a certain side (Berbicians) playing on three of the four teams in contention; and two of the four teams in the tournament failing to field 11 players at any time.
Where are we going? Why host a substandard event, when emphasis could have gone into development?
I am quite certain that Cricket West Indies ensures finances are available for the GCB to aid in the development of female cricket. What is the GCB doing with that money, which they should be investing into development?

I would like the Territorial Development Officer of the GCB, Colin Stuart, or any executive of the GCB for that matter, to answer this.
It seems as though a particular club in Berbice is doing more for cricket development than the GCB.
I interviewed coaches and managers during the tournament, and even they are ‘unaware’ and ashamed at the standard of the cricket.
Manager of the President’s XI, Jitlall Jowharilall, said he had 10 players in his squad for the opening match on Friday, and all 10 were Berbicians.
Jowharilall has managed and coached East Coast Demerara teams at various levels, but has never played a tournament of this magnitude with 10 players.
Demerara Coach Latchman Yadram noted he had just one session with the squad before competition, while most of the girls are new to him.
Essequibo Cricket Board Secretary Aotto Christiani confirmed that Essequibo imported players, but he was uncertain how many. It is quite amusing for an administrator of the county’s cricket to be in such an embarrassing position.
However, a source close to the GCB informed this publication that most of the girls were plucked from secondary schools and had never played a hardball match in their lives.
The source was perturbed by the lack of initiatives in Essequibo as he queried whether administrators there could not have utilized a similar idea as Berbice, to seek girls from the school system.
According to the source, the money spent on a mediocre tournament should have been spent on development.