GCA, Toucan Distributors partner for U-15 tournament
– 8 teams to vie for honours
Toucan Distributors in collaboration with the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) on Tuesday launched their U-15 100 overs Cricket Competition with the first round set of Zone A games bowling off on March 24.
After a two year absence, the competition returns with new sponsors and new energy as the GCA executives most notably President Roger Harper and Competition Chairman Shawn Massiah duly pointed out.
Lennox Shuffler, Toucan Industries long-time chief along with Managing Director Andrew King; the executives of the sponsors was present at the ceremony held at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) pavilion where Shuffler , a former Guyana Volleyball Federation President said he was happy to throw his weight behind the youth tournament.
Toucan Industries Lenox Shuffler hands over the sponsorship check to GCA President Roger Harper on Tuesday at the Demerara Cricket Club
He said that sports regardless of the genre was crucial for the nurturing of youths and pointed out that since its existence the U15 has been doing well to churn out players who go on to play for Guyana and West Indies. Harper during his brief remarks thanked the entity for backing them during this move, highlighting that the Easter holiday and after will see an Under 17 and 19 tournaments being staged. The former West Indies player said that the foundation of youth cricket in Demerara is the U15 which has produced the likes of Keemo Paul, Joshua Persaud, Ashmead Nedd and others who have played for Guyana/Windies at the respective levels.
Played under 100 over format, the teams will do battle on three days with the semi-finals set for April 1s and finals April 4. Massiah said that this competition as it has done before should help in identifying future stars for Guyana and West Indies. Meanwhile, long-serving National Youth coach Garvin Nedd thanked the sponsors for coming onboard at this time when cricket and talent in Guyana at the youth levels are flourishing. Nedd added that the U15 is a major event and a popular one which has been long awaited.
Meanwhile, the tournament bowls off on Saturday March 24 with defending champs from the last edition, DCC battling Everest in the opener while Saints and Bel Air will tackle in the second match of Zone A’s opener.
