Project “Cricket gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana: Essequibo’s youngest opener Ravid Fredericks benefits

Ravid Fredericks, a 10-year- old opening batsman from Essequibo, is the latest cricketer to benefit from the project, an initiative of Kishan Das of the USA and Anil Beharry of Guyana.

Fredericks, the baby of the team, has been the youngest batsman to participate in the GCB/Dave West Indian Imports and Exports Inter-County Tournament, which has been halted due to the inclement weather. Players are vying for a place in the national team to participate in the upcoming CWI Regional Tournament.
Fredericks, son of former national player Norman Fredericks, represents Jaguars Cricket Club and resides with his mother in the village of Pomona. He has been recipient of a junior gear bag, along with one pair of batting pad, one bat, one box, one helmet, one pair of batting gloves, and one bat rubber, which was up for grabs for the youngest batsman in the tournament.
The elegant right hander is one for the future, and has been highly recommended by officials, media representatives and former players.
At a simple informal presentation held recently, Beharry, a current GCB executive, said he is happy to assist young players, and he considers this donation special because of the recipient player’s tender age.
He said the project has reached out to many young and promising cricketers and clubs across the length and breadth of Guyana, and the initiative hopes to assist in producing more cricketers for Guyana and the West Indies.
In responding, Ravid Fredericks, grade 5 student of Huis’t Dieren Primary School, expressed much gratitude for the gear, and promised to work hard on his game so as to realise his dream of donning West Indies colours one day.
Total cricket-related items collected so far: $130,000 cash, two trophies, 11 cricket boots, 16 pairs of batting pads, 17 bats, 11 pairs of batting gloves, 19 thigh pads, one wicket-keeping pad, one arm guard, five cricket bags and one helmet. In addition to the above, $600,000 worth in gear was donated by Sheik Mohamed, former national wicket keeper/batsman.
To date, 35 young players from all three counties of Guyana have benefited from two junior gear bags, two trophies, one arm guard, 11 bats, one box, one helmet, nine pairs of cricket shoes, eight pairs of batting pads, one bat rubber and nine pairs of batting gloves.
In addition, the Rose Hall Estate Cricket Club has benefited from a pair of stumps and bails, and two clubs in the Pomeroon area have benefited from two used bats. Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenaam Cricket Committees, Cotton Tree Die Hard and Rose Hall CCCC also each received one box of red cricket balls.
Cricket-related items, used or new, will be 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 will also assist to identify talent. Progressive and well managed clubs would also benefit.
We take this opportunity to thank Javed and Imran of West Indian Sports Complex, Option Group of USA, Hilbert Foster, Bish Panday of P and P Insurance Brokers, Sean Devers, Trevis Simon, Årïêl J. Tïlkú, Aaron Beharry, Leanna Bachan and Imran Saccoor, Devon Ramnauth, Teddy Singh, Romash Munna, Ravi Etwaroo, Ravin Harkishun, Surendra Harkishun, Allan Mangru, Vishal Mahabir, Sherman Austin, Huburn Evans, Rajendra Sadeo and Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall, Sheik Mohamed of Star Sports Awards and Trophies and Ajay Gainda of Cricket Equipment Guyana, Peter Ramkissoon, Rabindranath Saywack, Roshan Gaffoor, Ameer Rahaman, Denesh Chandrapaul and Dr Cecil Beharry.
Distribution will continue. Anyone interested in contributing can contact Anil Beharry on 623-6875, or Kishan Das on 1-718-664-0896.