Beharry Group U19 schools’ T20 tournament bowls off June 13

The inaugural Beharry Group Under-19 Schools T20 Cricket Tournament, which is being coordinated by the Petra Organisation, will bowl off on June 13 across Guyana, featuring approximately 80 secondary schools from eight zones in what organisers hope will become one of the country’s premier youth cricket competitions.
The tournament was officially launched on Friday at the Beharry Group’s head office on Charlotte Street, Georgetown, where Group Chief Marketing Officer Malissa Sylvester outlined the company’s vision for the event while Petra Organisation coordinator Azizi Christiani detailed the competition format.
According to Christiani, the tournament will be contested across eight zones. Zone One, comprising Regions One and Two, will feature 10 teams; Zone Two (Regions Three and Seven) will have nine teams; Zone Three (East Bank Demerara and Upper Demerara) seven schools; Zone Four (South Georgetown) 10 schools; Zone Five (North Georgetown) 12 schools; Zone Six (East Coast Demerara) 10 schools; Zone Seven (West Berbice) six schools; and Zone Eight (East Berbice-Corentyne) 14 teams.

The competition will begin with straight knockout matches within each zone. Once zonal champions are determined, the eight winning schools will advance to the national phase, where they will be divided into two groups of four based on net run rate rankings. Teams will play each other once within their respective groups, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the playoff stage.
The playoff format will mirror the Caribbean Premier League system. The two group winners will meet in a qualifier, with the victor advancing directly to the final. The losing team will receive a second chance by facing the winner of a playoff between the two second-placed teams for the remaining spot in the championship match.

Christiani said the tournament format was developed following consultations with several cricket stakeholders, including former West Indies fast bowler Reon King; Cricket Development Officer Anthony D’Andrade; and Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Steven Jacobs.
He noted that the tournament is expected to run for approximately two to three months and will be played on grounds throughout the country, stretching from Moruca in Region One to communities in Berbice.
In her address, Sylvester said the Beharry Group views the tournament as an investment in youth development and national progress. She noted that the company, which has operated in Guyana for nearly 90 years, has long supported initiatives aimed at creating opportunities for young people and strengthening communities.
Sylvester highlighted the role sport plays in teaching discipline, teamwork, resilience, leadership and accountability, describing these as qualities that extend beyond the playing field into education, business and everyday life.
She said the tournament was designed to maximise participation and inclusion by bringing together schools from across Guyana and providing students from different regions and backgrounds with opportunities to compete and represent their institutions. Approximately 80 schools are expected to participate.
Sylvester added that the initiative aims not only to develop cricket talent but also to encourage positive youth engagement, healthy lifestyles, school pride and community spirit while creating pathways for talent identification and growth.
The Beharry Group has supported a range of sporting disciplines and development programmes over the years, and Sylvester expressed hope that the Under-19 Schools T20 Tournament would become a sustainable fixture on Guyana’s sporting calendar and leave a lasting legacy for youth cricket.
The launch was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Ministry of Education, the Guyana Cricket Board and the Petra Organisation, which is coordinating the nationwide competition.