Former players honoured at “Legends” cricket match

“A Day with the Legends” took over the Everest Cricket Club Ground on Sunday, as the venue became a hive of activity when a number of former cricketers who steered Guyana to the Shell Shield and Geddes Grant/Harrison Line Cup in 1983 suited up alongside their younger peers for a memorial match in honour of the late Clyde Butts.
Ramnaresh Sarwan led the ‘Challengers’ team to a two-run victory over Leon Johnson’s Champions.
With contributions of 20, 18 and 10 from Sarwan, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr and President Dr Irfaan Ali respectively, the Challengers got to 134-5 in their 20 overs.

In reply, the Champions, featuring the likes of Roger Harper, could only muster 132-6, with Sewnarine Chattergoon slamming 35 and Matthew Nandu 21.
Reflecting on the day’s activities, President Ali underscored the importance of transfer of knowledge and relationship building that can come from the match.
“This activity is tremendous, to see all our greats and the future on the same field. In the business world, we talk about transfer of knowledge, transfer of technology. This is transfer of experience, transfer of technique, transfer of teamwork, and it’s building a network. A lot of these youngsters need the experienced heads to rely on and to talk to, and I hope they use this opportunity to connect with these guys and build a relationship, a network through which they can have counselling, coaching guidance. That is what is important,” the Head of State said.
On the other hand, Ramson Jr cited cricket’s rich history as he voiced appreciation for the way the 1983 team was honoured.
Ramson Jr shared, “The cricket culture runs deep throughout the West Indies and it’s something that if you take that element away from our evolution as a society, the entire region is just not the same region anymore.
“I think it’s bigger than just the activity, it’s the fact that we were able to honour the victory we had in 1983, 41 years since. First time ever that the country was able to lift the Geddes Grant and the Shell Shield, which back then was big as the CPL. So, just imagine what that was like. It’s a privilege to be able to share the same cricketing space,” the Sport Minister added.
Former President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) at the time of Guyana’s historic double whammy, Norman McLean, expressed that a lot of planning and effort went into the team’s success.
“You know, it was 41 years ago, 1983, and we really put a lot into making us successful at that time. In fact, we brought in a combined team from the Caribbean and we played four matches in preparation for the Shell Shield tournament and the Geddes Grant/Harrison Line. I think we had two at Bourda, one at Hamilton court and one at Albion; we won three of the four and that, I think, had us prepared for that tournament and we were very successful,” McLean reflected.
He further stated, “I think it was the teamwork and the preparation. Because we had Roger Harper, he toured India with me in 1987, I think. We had Clyde Butts, he wasn’t very successful in India, but was always a very successful player for Guyana. So, we had very good all-round performances when it was needed. Quite a lot of the other players chipped in and they came at the right time.”
The likes of Clive Lloyd and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo were also present to witness the game.