ECC benefits from Shiv Chanderpaul all-weather facility

Inclement weather will no longer pose a threat to training sessions for cricketers, as the Shivnarine Chanderpaul all-weather practice facility was officially handed over to the Everest Cricket Club (ECC) by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) on Tuesday morning.

The all-weather training facility, which is located in the compound of the Club adjacent to Camp Road, will allow net sessions to be carried on, even if the rain decides to pour in all its glory.
Named after Guyanese and West Indies batting legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the facility will be opened for use to members of the ECC and members of the Guyana Jaguars national teams.
However, cricketers in other regions have nothing to worry about, since GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie disclosed that similar all-weather facilities were being established in various parts of the country.
“The GCB would be embarking this year on completing the practice facility at the LBI Community Centre where we’re developing a first-class venue. In addition to that, we have plans to build one in West Berbice and one in Linden. The exact location in Linden is to be decided,” Sanasie revealed.
The GCB Secretary went on to disclose that the Board would be commissioning another all-weather practice facility this Friday at the Salem Ground in Essequibo. While the Bush Lot Ground at Berbice is being eyed for a facility, Linden is yet to present another cricket venue since the Bayrock Ground is currently being transformed into a synthetic track and field facility.
Sanasie, in revealing all this, shared the rationale behind constructing such facilities.
“This is all in our development plan to ensure that in the outlying areas also in Guyana, the youths and the clubs will have better facilities to use, especially in the rainy weather,” the GCB Secretary explained.
The facility was under construction for the past 18 months and to the tune of approximately $3.5 million; on the receiving end was ECC President Manzoor Nadir, who expressed his gratitude to the GCB for setting up the practice facility.
“We are very grateful to the GCB for this facility. We also pledge that we’re going to maintain it and keep it in operational use 24/7,” Nadir promised.
The fact that the Guyana Jaguars usually utilise the Everest Cricket Club was cited as one of the reasons why the Club was chosen for the first facility. (Jemima Holmes)