Parmanand Dhaniram, aka “Rudy”, a friend of “Project Cricket Gear”, has once again donated cricket gear to this joint initiative of Anil Beharry of Guyana and Kishan Das of the USA.
He presented four pairs of batting gloves and one pair of cricket shoes. The project organisers are thankful for Dhaniram’s continued support as they aim to keep as many young people as possible off the streets and get them actively involved in sports, particularly cricket.
Total cricket-related items received/purchased so far: $460,000 in cash, thirteen coloured cricket uniforms, one set of stumps and bails, two trophies, twenty-eight pairs of cricket shoes, thirty-three pairs of batting pads, thirty-five cricket bats, one floppy hat, thirty-six pairs of batting gloves, twenty-five thigh pads, three pairs of wicketkeeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, twelve cricket bags, six bat rubbers, six helmets, one fibreglass bat, thirteen boxes of white cricket balls, nine boxes of red balls and twenty-eight footballs. In addition to the above, gear worth more than $600,000 was donated by Sheik Mohamed, former national wicketkeeper-batsman. All cash collected is being used to purchase cricket gear requested and not available at the time.
Anil Beharry (left) and Parmanand Dhaniram (right)
To date, eighty-six young players, male and female, from all three counties of Guyana have benefited directly from cash, seven gear bags, two trophies, four arm guards, thirty-three bats, three boxes, six helmets, thirty-one pairs of cricket shoes, twenty pairs of batting pads, twenty-four thigh pads, one bat grip, thirty-four pairs of batting gloves, one pair of wicketkeeping pads, and three pairs of wicketkeeping gloves. Many others benefited indirectly. In addition, two clubs in the Pomeroon area benefited from two used bats. Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenaam Cricket Committees and Cotton Tree Die Hard also received one box of red cricket balls each, Cold Fusion Cricket Club thirteen coloured uniforms while RHCCCC received six boxes of balls, fifteen white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicket-keeping gloves, and two sets of stumps and bails. Other beneficiaries are the Essequibo Cricket Board; the town of Lethem; youth coach Travis Persaud (one box of red cricket balls); male and female teams playing the traditional hardball and softball in the Upper Corentyne area; No 65 Young Titans (30 T-Shirts); youths of Just Try Cricket Club; Wakenaam Cricket Academy (one box of white balls); Shamar Joseph, Nehemiah Hohenkirk, Shamar Apple, Leguan Cricket Committee, Tucber Park Cricket Club, Malteenoes Sports Club (nine cricket balls each); Kendall’s Union Cricket Club (two boxes of red balls); and Lower Corentyne, Corentyne Comprehensive and JC Chandisingh Secondary Schools (twelve red balls each).
Cricket-related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skill, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talent spotting is being done across the country and club leaders also assist to identify same. Progressive and well- managed cricket clubs with a youth programme also benefit.
