BCB Patron’s Trust Fund commences distribution of $1M worth of white cricket balls

…Second installment of Minister Zulfikar Mustapha’s Educational Scholarship handed over

The proactive Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) continues to assist clubs under its watch with another distribution of items in the ancient county. On Saturday last, the board, during a special ceremony for the legendary Sir Curtly Ambrose, started the distribution of one million dollars’ worth of white cricket balls to first division clubs. The balls were distributed under the BCB Patron’s Trust Fund.

BCB President Hilbert Foster has said that the trust fund was established in late 2020 when Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat was inducted as the BCB’s first official Patron. In 2019, the fund distributed a total of $1.2M worth of balls and cricket gear to clubs and youth players.

Minister Bharrat committed $2.5M to the fund for last year, and had handed over a cheque for $1.5M in October 2021. That amount was used for the hosting of several mini cricket academies and social skills seminars, while close to fifty youths benefited from educational grants to assist their pursuit of an educational career.
Distribution of the cricket balls completes the pledge of $2.5M by the Patron for 2021. Discussions for 2022 will soon start with the Patron, whom Foster has described as one of the main reasons for the success of Berbice cricket over the last few years.
The white balls, Foster stated, would be used for practice by the first-division teams and in tournaments organised by the BCB. The BCB has already secured sponsorships for the Ivan Madray 20/20 Memorial tournament, and the Guyana Brewery Ltd has committed to sponsoring the Tenelec 50 Overs and another tournament.
The board will shortly be meeting with representatives of the different clubs to decide on the way forward in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation.
The BCB has distributed boxes of balls to the Skeldon Community Centre, Upper Corentyne Cricket Association, Police, Albion, Port Mourant, RHTY&SC, Rose Hall Canje, and West Berbice; and would be handing over balls to Young Warriors CC, Tucber Park CC, Berbice River Cricket Association and Blairmont, who were absent from the ceremony. Legendary Icon Sir Curtly Ambrose handed over the balls on behalf of the board and Patron Vickram Bharrat.
Meanwhile, under the Patron Fund, the board has handed over two catching cribs to representatives of the East Bank Berbice CC and Kildonan CC. The board also handed over a large set of sneakers to four clubs for distribution to less fortunate cricketers. The sneakers were donated to the BCB by former national player Sheik Mohamed. The clubs receiving sneakers were Achievers, Port Mourant, Edinburgh and East Bank Berbice.
Moreover, the BCB has handed over a cheque for $247,100 to Naeem Khan. This cheque represents the second payment to Khan as part of the historic BCB/Zulfikar Mustapha University of Guyana Educational Scholarship.
Early Last year, the Berbice Cricket Board created history when it became the first cricket board in Guyana to hand out a University of Guyana scholarship. Khan is a medium pacer who plays for the Albion Cricket Club and attends the Tain campus of the University of Guyana.
The young player has expressed gratitude to BCB President Hilbert Foster and Minister Mustapha for their support. Minister Mustapha is a Berbician by birth, and is a strong supporter of the BCB.