Kendall’s Union Cricket Club benefit from cricket gear initiative

Kendall’s Union Cricket Club of Number 19 Village, Corentyne, Berbice are the latest to benefit from the joint Cricket Gears initiative. hey were the recipients of two boxes of red cricket balls, one of which was handed over recently and the other will follow.
At a simple-ceremony held recently, Galina Hitnarine, club representative, was thankful for the support. The project is also pleased to be part of Kendall’s Union Cricket Club’s development and the balls are to be used for the junior cricket programme only.
The total cricket-related items received/purchased so far amounts to $460,000 in cash: thirteen coloured cricket uniforms, one set of stumps, two trophies, twenty-seven pairs of cricket shoes, thirty-three pairs of batting pads, thirty-five cricket bats, thirty-two pairs of batting gloves, twenty-five thigh pads, three pairs of wicketkeeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, twelve cricket bags, six bat rubbers, six helmets, one fibreglass bat, one pair of floppy hat, thirteen boxes of white cricket balls, three boxes of red cricket balls and twenty-eight footballs. In addition to the above, gear valued over $600,000 was donated by Sheik Mohamed, a former national wicketkeeper/batsman. All cash collected is used to purchase cricket gear requested and not available at the time.

To date, eighty-six 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, three boxes, six helmets, thirty-one pairs of cricket shoes, twenty pairs of batting pads, twenty-four thigh pads, one bat grip, thirty-four 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 coloured uniforms while RHCCCC received six boxes of balls, fifteen white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicketkeeping 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 (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) and Kendall’s Union Cricket Club (twelve red balls).
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 programme will also benefit.
The success of this initiative would have never been possible without the support of numerous individuals and businesses in Guyana and abroad.