Mount Sinai Cricket Club/Angoys Avenue on rapid rise

By Brandon Corlette

The Mount Sinai Cricket Club, popularly known as the ground in Cowdamn, has shown a rapid rise in development.
The club are significant beneficiaries of the current administration, and as a result, they are currently producing talented junior cricketers for Berbice. Adrian Emmanuel, the young fast-bowling all-rounder, is the latest product that is primed for Berbice Under-13 glory.
Additionally, the club’s facility is growing, with two side screens added, a pavilion and washrooms in place and, significantly, the construction of a boxing gym on the horizon.

The man behind most of the club’s development is Joel Amsterdam, the coach and a councillor for the community.
“I’m able to make that representation to the Central Government, who is always willing and ready to work, and as a result you see massive investment in the community ground and sporting facilities in this community,” Amsterdam said.
In relation to the construction of the boxing gym, which has an estimated cost of more than 40 million, Amsterdam described this as an investment in the people in the community.
“The boxing gym is a big deal for Angoy’s Avenue and New Amsterdam. It’s going to be the only state-of-the-art boxing gym in New Amsterdam.”
“I remember just under a year ago Mr Jeff Roberts and I asked His Excellency the President, Dr Ifraan Ali to assist us with a gym in New Amsterdam, and he committed to building this boxing gym. Today it’s becoming a reality. It’s typical of the PPP/C Administration; whenever they make a promise, they always deliver,” Amsterdam disclosed.
This gym will offer a positive outlet for young people, steering them toward discipline, fitness, and mentorship instead of negative influences. The gym will create a pathway for discovering and nurturing local athletes who might go on to represent the area regionally or even internationally.
The facility primarily focuses on cricket and is used for hosting Berbice Cricket Board matches. Amsterdam and his team aim to focus on player development, introducing more structured training programmes, coaching clinics, and youth academies to build a strong pipeline of talent.
In the near future, the club also will be installing practice nets and equipping themselves with bowling machines and equipment to create a more professional environment for players.
Further, Mount Sinai Cricket Club will also focus on community engagement, strengthening ties with schools and community groups to encourage wider participation and support.
With all these plans and development, sponsorship is also essential for the club’s resources to grow.
In addition to Emmanuel, the club has more talented players, but those who stood out thus far include Anthony Persaud, who is a spin bowling all-rounder who represented Berbice at the Under 13 level last year.
They are Jovell Dejonge, Geovaani Amsterdam, Shaheed Demond & Simeon Lindie, who are arguably the most talented of the bunch.
Lindie is the nephew of West Indies cricketer Shamar Joseph, who is also an Adventist like Shamar, who had to wait until he was older to play the game.
The young Lindie’s parents rarely allow him to play on Saturdays, a belief Shamar Joseph’s parents followed early in his career.
With Berbice being beneficiaries of development, Mount Sinai is another club to look out for.