The President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), Hilbert Foster, on Thursday last handed over $400,000 worth of red cricket balls to clubs and sub-associations to officially launch the board’s cricket development outreach programme for 2020. Under the programme, the vibrant cricket board assists clubs in the Ancient County with a wide range of items, including gears, stumps, scorebooks, trophies among other things in an effort to get them to fulfill their mandates.
BCB President Hilbert Foster poses with representatives of the clubs after presenting them with the balls
Since the election of the current administration in February 2018, over ninety clubs have benefitted from over $6M worth of cricket balls, cricket gears, rain coats, bicycles, stumps, scorebooks, trophies, medals, uniforms, sponsorship, school bags, educational materials and food hampers, among other things. For 2020, however, Foster stated, the BCB would only assist its 13 permanent members, 3 sub-associations and clubs which have junior teams playing in BCB-organised tournaments.
Over time, the 90 clubs have received cricket balls at the cost of over $2M, but things would be done differently in 2020. Clubs which have no interest in youth development would not benefit any longer, as the BCB cannot continue to invest in clubs which have entire memberships over the age of 30 years. The BCB hopes those clubs get involved in youth development if they want to benefit.
The BCB in 2020 would be hosting cricket tournaments at the Under 13, Under 15, Under 17, Under 19, Under 21, Under 23 levels, and clubs which participate in at least three of these tournaments would be listed to benefit. Two boxes of red balls valued at $22,000 were given to Blairmont, Paradise, Achievers/West Berbice, Bush Lot United, Edinburgh, Tucber Park, Rose Hall Canje, East Bank Blazer, RHTY&SC, Albion, Port Mourant, #73/Scottsburg. Those clubs are participating in the ongoing Lewison General Store Under-15 Tournament.
Permanent members of the BCB: Mental Hospital, Mt. Sinai, UCCA, Guymine, Young Warriors, BRCA and Police have each received one box of balls.
Foster disclosed that the balls were donated by a Berbice medical doctor who resides overseas and who was very impressed by the high standard of work being done in Berbice Cricket.
The President, who over the last two years has spearheaded a massive marketing drive that has raised over $30M in cash and kind, urged representatives of the clubs to appreciate the hard work of his executives. Berbice, he stated, is unmatched in its achievements, despite not receiving a single cent of assistance from either the GCB or CWI since 2008.
The BCB recently clinched a $500,000 trophy sponsorship with the Trophy Stall. A similar package worth $400,000 would be unveiled shortly with a business entity for meals at cricket finals, while a sponsorship for office stationery would also be launched shortly.
