BCB, UG to unveil Berbice Cricket Wall of Fame next week

…2nd edition of coaching manual to be launched

Since the Hilbert Foster-led administration of the BCB was elected in 2018, the Berbice Cricket Board has undertaken a wide range of developmental programmes/projects to lift the standard of the game and to honour heroes of the county.
The BCB would next week successfully launch another major project: the Berbice Cricket Wall of Fame, at the Tain Campus. The project is one of several that were agreed on earlier this year, when a BCB delegation led by Foster met a University of Guyana team headed by Vice Chancellor Dr. Paloma Mohamed.

The Wall of Fame would include the county’s twenty Test cricketers and eleven others, male and female, who played ODI and 20/20 at various levels. The Test players on the Wall would be John Trim, Ivan Madray, Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Roy Fredricks, Alvin Kallicharran, Sew Shivnarain, Leonard Baichan, Clayton Lambert, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Narsingh Deonarine, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Devindra Bishoo, Brandon Bess, Veerasammy Permaul, Candacy Atkins, Assad Fudadin, Shimron Hetmyer, Gudakesh Motie and Joseph Solomon. The others are Romario Shepherd, Milton Pydana, Royston Crandon, Kevin Sinclair, Tremayne Smartt, Shemaine Campbell, Erva Giddings, Sheneta Grimmond, Shabika Gajnabi, Subrine Munroe and Ashmini Munisar.

Each of the thirty-one inductees would have their own 17’ x 12’ frame with their photograph and cricket record. The Wall of Fame would be situated within the Berbice Campus of the University. Foster noted that the BCB/UG Wall of Fame would be a historic project and would be a fitting tribute to the heroes of Berbice Cricket. The BCB, he stated, is determined that all of its heroes are honoured in a special way, and to make sure that the younger generation of cricketers are aware of the rich tradition and history that they have to uphold.
Foster also expressed delight that the University of Guyana has agreed to honour the legendary Rohan Kanhai with an honorary doctorate as part of its 60th anniversary. Kanhai represented the West Indies in 79 Test matches, and scored 6227 runs, among which are 16 centuries. He also led Guyana to regional glory in 1973 by lifting the Shell Shield Trophy, and was the first East Indian to be appointed captain of the West Indies Test Team.
The BCB extends congrats to Kanhai, who has been named by the BCB in 2018 as Berbice greatest ever cricketer.

Meanwhile the BCB, with the support of the University, would also be launching the second edition of its historic coaching Manual at the same ceremony. The 32-page manual represents the hard work of the BCB executives along with a panel of dedicated cricket coaches, including the late Michael Hyles, Winston Smith, Julian Moore, Balram Samaroo, Leslie Solomon and Travis Hardcourt.
The Manual was edited by BCB President Hilbert Foster and Asst Secretary Balram Samaroo. The main objective is to assist youths to improve their game at home. The coaching manual covers intense training in the arts of batting, wicket-keeping, fast bowling, spin bowling (off spin, leg spin, left arm orthodox), physical fitness and fielding. The reader of the manual would be taught how to play a wide range of shots, including the forward defense, straight drive, cover drive, on drive, pull shot, sweep shot and the back foot defense.
Special emphasis is placed on assisting bowlers to better themselves with the grip, run up, gather, release and follow through. The manual would be distributed free of cost to all youth cricketers and cricket clubs in the county. Some copies of the manual would also be donated to other county boards, if requested.
The BCB would also be unveiling a new billboard in front of the historic Port Mourant Cricket Ground. It features the photos of all of its Test cricketers. The billboard is sponsored by the Guyana Brewery Inc. A total of one hundred young cricketers are also expected to receive millions of dollars’ worth of cricket gear shortly, as the BCB expands its youth developmental programme.