GoG/MCYS to power GCB under- 19 inter-county tournaments
With a massive financial boost from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) will embark on hosting three under-19 tournaments geared at developing Guyana’s next crop of cricket stars.
The three tournaments, namely: the GCB//GOG//MCYS Under-19 Boys National Inter-Club Tournament, the GCB//GOG//MCYS Under-19 Boys Inter-County Super-50 Tournament, and the GCB//GOG//MCYS Under-19 Boys Inter-County Three-Day Tournament, will bowl off later this month, and run sequentially.
Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr
At a launch hosted at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara, GCB Territorial Development Officer Colin Stuart divulged the opportunities that the tournament would offer both players and selectors.
“It offers both the players and selectors an opportunity to have another event prior to the inter-county tournament, where the players will have an opportunity to showcase their talents and their current form for national selection,” Stuart explained.
Stuart went on to add, “By playing the club tournament, we hope that they would record some performance that would enable them to get selected for their county teams; and in so doing, (get) additional opportunities to make the national team,”
Meanwhile, in his time with the mic, GCB President Bissoondyal Singh highlighted the massive financial injection that the subject Ministry is making for the tournament.
“This investment from the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, sets the stage for cricket to be catapulted to the higher levels of professionalism. This sponsorship of the Guyana Cricket Board Under- 19 tournament by the Government is a historic event,” Singh shared with the gathering of officials, coaches and players.
Players, coaches and officials flank Sport Minister Charles Ramson jr. as he makes a presentation to GCB President Bissoondyal Singh
He went on to expound on the historic aspect of the sponsorship, stating, “For the first time, Government, through its Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, will substantially sponsor all related national tournaments for an age group development exercise. Kindly note that the conduct of this tournament and age group tournaments is an expensive exercise, and acquiring adequate sponsorship at times poses a serious challenge.”
Meanwhile, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr. has made a commitment to ensuring the tournament has a long future.
“This is a great day for us to recognise that an important stepping stone – what I call the cornerstone of the West Indies team – is now a firm fixture, for which no longer should it be questioned whether the tournament is going to happen, (or) if you’re going to have a truncated tournament. This tournament is a firm fixture as one of our national calendar events for sports on the country, and long may it continue,” Minister Ramson shared.
The Sport Minister went on to add about the longevity of the tournament, “It is a commitment that the Government of Guyana is going to make in a long-term way. It is a tournament that has to continue to see happen for the many years to come.”
The Inter-County Club Tournament is set to commence on March 31st and conclude on April 6th, while the one-day and three-day tournaments will run from April 12th to 27th.
