BCB planning to host historic Berbice Premier League this August

If everything goes according to plan, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) would be hosting the first ever Berbice Premier League during the month of August. BCB President Hilbert Foster, MS, unveiled this ambitious project at the February meeting of the board’s executive committee.

The BCB, since foster’s election in February 2018, has become Guyana’s leading cricket board, staging unmatched activities on and off the cricket field.
The BPL is one of several exciting projects that the BCB intends hosting during the next two years. Foster disclosed that the format for the BPL would be a knockout 20/20 tournament with twelve teams vying for championship honours. The eleven first division teams of Berbice, along with a team from the Berbice River Sub-Association, would play in this tournament. The 11 first division teams are: West Berbice, Blairmont, Police, Tucber Park, Young Warriors, Rose Hall Canje, Albion, RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour, Port Mourant, Upper Corentyne and Skeldon.
The teams would be seeded according to their performances over the last two years, and the draw would be done publicly, with members of the teams. Each team would consist of 13 members, and the BCB has relaxed its rules to allow each side to have one player from out of the county.
Each player involved in the BPL would receive a financial stipend per match, with the fees increasing as a team advances deeper in the tournament. The BCB would also provide a stipend for a coach per team, while each game would have a winner’s prize. Clubs would have the right to have a Georgetown or Essequibo player, who would also receive a stipend.
Special prizes would also be awarded for: Play of the Day, Man of the Match, Fan of the Match, and MVP of the Tournament.
According to Foster, depending on the overall success of this historic event, each of the 12 teams would also receive a financial developmental grant from the BCB. Funds raised from the tournament would be used to expand the BCB’s countywide coaching programme; upgrade operations at its office; assist clubs with balls; and, if possible, obtain a vehicle for the BCB.
Foster, who would lead the organizing committee, has said an aggressive drive would be made to obtain fees for players/officials, match prizes, uniforms, balls, umpiring fees, refreshments for players/officials, among other things.
Matches would be played at the No69 Ground and at Albion and Blairmont grounds, while umpires would be drawn from a special pool of Berbician umpires.
This astute cricket administrator has expressed confidence that the Berbice Premier League would be a great success. He also thinks the league would play a great role in the continued revival of cricket in Berbice, and would attract more fans to venues.
Performing clubs at the first division level are encourage to expand their membership and to start preparing a squad for the league. The inclusion of the Berbice River Cricket team also serves as an inspiration to cricketers in that area.
Companies, overseas-based Guyanese, or business owners who are interested in becoming part of the Berbice Premier League (BPL) can contact Angela Haniff on 333-2375, or Simon Naidu on 649-6447, or Dr. Cecil Beharry on 624-5707, or Hilbert Foster on 337-4562.