Jones is latest recipient of Cricket Gear Initiative

Demerara Cricket Club’s 13-year-old all-rounder Makhaya Jones is the latest person to benefit from the Cricket Gear Initiative that is jointly owned by Kishan Das of the USA and long-serving cricket administrator Anil Beharry of Guyana, in that this right-handed pace bowler/batsman has been recipient of one pair of cricket shoes.
A student of Campbellville Secondary School, Makhaya Jones recently participated in the Demerara Cricket Board’s inter-association under-15 tournament, which is used to select the county team to participate in the upcoming inter-county championship.
At a simple ceremony held recently, Jones, the son of softball stalwart Wayne Jones, expressed gratitude for the shoes and promised to work hard on his game.
He has been encouraged to focus on cricket and education, and to always be disciplined.

This initiative will continue its endeavours to make every community a better place, and is pleased to be part of the development of young cricketers in Guyana.
Our aim is to keep them off the streets and get them actively involve in sports, cricket in particular, the Initiative has said.
Total cricket related items received/purchased so far: $560,000 in cash, thirteen colored cricket uniforms, one set of stumps, two trophies, thirty-three pairs of cricket shoes, thirty-seven pairs of batting pads, forty six cricket bats, forty pairs of batting gloves, twenty-eight thigh pads, three pairs of wicket keeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, thirteen gear bags, thirteen bat rubbers, six helmets, one fiber glass bat, one pair of floppy hat, fourteen boxes and four of white cricket balls, thirteen boxes of red cricket balls, one bat cone and twenty-eight footballs. In addition to the above, gear with value of over $600,000 was donated by Sheik Mohamed, former National wicket keeper/batsman. All cash collected is being used to purchase cricket gear requested and not available at the time.
To date, ninety-four 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, four boxes, six helmets, thirty-five pairs of cricket shoes, twenty-one pairs of batting pads, twenty-four thigh pads, one bat grip, thirty-seven 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 color uniforms while RHCCCC received six boxes of balls, fifteen white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicket-keeping gloves, 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 with 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 with twelve red balls, Lower Corentyne, Corentyne Comprehensive and JC Chandisingh Secondary schools with twelve red balls each, and Thaddeus Lovell with one pair of cricket shoes.
Cricket related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, 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 program, will also benefit.