Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi handing over sponsorship cheque to BCB President Hilbert Foster
The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday last officially launched its 2024 cricket season with an Under 15 tournament. Guyanese Neuro Surgeon Dr. Armnauth Dukhi joined hands with the Berbice Cricket Board to launch the Dr. Dukhi Berbice Under-15 Cricket tournament in the Ancient County.
The simple presentation took place in the office of the Brain Surgeon at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Georgetown.
BCB President Hilbert Foster hailed the launching of the tournament as another red-letter day in the recent development of the game in the county, and stated that the tournament would be used as the yardstick in the selection of the Berbice Under-15 inter-county team for 2024.
The BCB President stated that the Guyana Cricket Board normally hosts the Under 15 Inter-County tournament in late January or early February and as such the county is preparing early. The BCB Under 17 2024 tournament would also be launched shortly with the same objective in mind.
The Dr. Dukhi tournament would be for players born on or after the 1st of September, 2008, and close to twenty teams are expected to participate. The teams would include Bush Lot United Sports Club, Bath Cricket Clubs, Rainbow Generation, Cotton Tree Cricket Clubs, Achievers Cricket Clubs, Tucber Park Cricket Club, Mt. Sanai Cricket Club, East Bank Blazers, Rose Hall Canje Community Centre, Guymine Sports Club, Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, Rose Hall Town Farfan and Mendes Ltd, Port Mourant Cricket Club, No 73 Young Warriors, Upper Corentyne and Radha Krishna Foundation.
Clubs are encouraged to contact Foster on 657-3571, Leslie Soloman on 621-9474, or Angela Haniff on 333-2375 to register before the 25th of October. Rose Hall Canje CC had defeated arch-rivals, Rose Hall Town Farfan and Mendes to win the BCB 2023 Under 15 finals and they would be seeking to defend their championship.
Players like Tameshwar Deonandan, Luke Amsterdam, Nathaniel Ramsammy, Gafoor, Leon Reddi, Rafel McKenzie are expected to dominate this tournament. The BCB, Foster disclosed intends to have its Under 15 Inter County team ready by early January 2024.
The tournament shall be played 50 overs per side using the red ball, and shall be for Berbice players only. The winning team would take home $80,000 and the championship trophy, while the runner-up would pocket $50,000 and a trophy.
Foster hailed Dr. Dukhi for his contribution, and noted that the medical doctor has already committed to assisting in other ways towards the development of the game in the county. He would be financing the construction of sanitary facilities at the NO 69 Viking ground in the Upper Corentyne area, and would also be raising funds under the Dr. Dukhi Trust Fund project. The funds would be used to obtain coaching equipment for junior teams in Berbice.
Dr. Dukhi, in brief remarks noted that he was pleased to be associated with the development of Berbice cricket. A born native of the Upper Corentyne Sub Association, he stated that he was very impressed of the development of the game and was delighted to be of some assistance.
