National junior all- rounder is the latest to benefit from Cricket gear project

National under 17 all- rounder, Emmanuel Lewis, is the latest to benefit from the ‘Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana’ initiative, done jointly by Anil Beharry of Guyana and Kishan Das of the USA. The sixteen-year- old, prolific batsman who also bowls medium pace and leg spin, was the recipient of a pair of cricket shoes and one cricket bat.
Lewis, a student of Carmel Secondary School and represents Transport and General Sports Club at all levels, was thankful for the cricket gear and promised to work hard on his game with his aim set on representing the West Indies in the future. He has the distinction of scoring a double hundred at the Inter- Association level.
According to the organisers of the project, they are pleased to be part of the development of this special talent and promised to continue to support him as his career grows.
The ‘Project cricket gear’ initiative will continue to strive to make every community a safer and better place. We are pleased to be part of the development of young cricketers in Guyana. Organisers noted that their aim is to keep them off the streets and get them actively involve in sports, cricket in particular.
Total cricket related items received/purchased so far: $630,000 in cash, thirteen colored cricket uniforms, one set of stumps, two trophies, thirty five pairs of cricket shoes, thirty eight pairs of batting pads, forty seven cricket bats, forty two pairs of batting gloves, twenty nine thigh pads, three pairs of wicket keeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, fourteen gear bags, thirteen bat rubbers, seven helmets, one fiber glass bat, one pair of floppy hat, one pair of inners, sixteen 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 nine players, male and female, from all three counties of Guyana have benefited directly from cash, eight gear bags, two trophies, four arm guards, thirty five bats, four boxes, six helmets, thirty- seven pairs of cricket shoes, twenty- one pairs of batting pads, twenty- five thigh pads, one bat grip, thirty- eight pairs of batting gloves, one pair of wicketkeeping pads and four pairs of wicketkeeping gloves with one pair of inners. 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, Thaddeus Lovell with one pair of cricket shoes, GCC, two boxes of white cricket balls, Bush Lot United Sports Club, one box of red balls, West Demerara Cricket Association, one box of white balls and Blairmont Cricket Club with one pair of batting pads, one cricket bat, one helmet and cricket 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 program, also benefit.
The success of this initiative would have never been possible without the support of numerous individuals and companies.