Republic Bank fuels GCB’s inaugural U23 Super50 inter-club tournament

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited continued their decades-long relationship with the official launching of the nationwide-sponsored, inaugural Under-23 Super50 inter-club cricket tournament.
Wednesday’s historic launch of this U23 initiative, held at the Bourda Cricket Club Ground in Georgetown, took cricket to a new height; the tournament is set to bowl off on Friday, August 18.
Delivering opening remarks, GCB Secretary Ronald Williams said this new concept would specifically target players whose careers at the U19 level have come to an end, but they may need to further hone their skills while needing a feeder-like system to enable that final spark, which leads to senior or West Indies Cricket selection.

He added that the 44 respective clubs from across the 3 counties (Demerara, Essequibo, Berbice) would now play a huge role, with this new format expected to host many national cricketers who are on the cusp of commencing their careers as seniors. He added that Republic Bank and GCB would now help to bridge the gap between junior and senior cricket.
GCB Manager of Cricket Operations, Anthony D’Andrade, who gave more logistical insight into the structure of things, said beforehand that the GCB found it necessary to introduce this system, as it would play a key role in feeding from one system to another more senior, regarding transitioning.

He recapped the GCB’s recent string of events, which featured the Republic Bank 5FORFUN, which targeted age groups 5-10; the GCB U13 Inter-County, and the recently concluded U13 Bilateral Series between Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago, the hosts. He noted that players who may not be successful at U19 could play U23 to keep their careers going with another shot at making the senior team before it’s too late.
Commercial Manager of the Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, Mr. Harry Dass Ghaness, during his brief remarks, outlined the bank’s pleasure at supporting the GCB for yet another venture.
He added that the two entities have been sharing close working ties for decades, and cited this as one main factor having a major impact on lives and youth development.
With Republic Bank being the premier sponsor of this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Ghaness said, cricket is part of the Bank’s Social Investment Program – The Power to Make a Difference – as it creates an environment for kids and sports alike, while creating a huge positive impact for all beneficiaries.
He said cricket especially allows youths to find, at an early age, the tenacity, strength and confidence needed to thrive in both a social and economic structure, while building an overall competitive environment.
Meanwhile, GCB Executive Robby Saywack lauded the RBL for playing a huge role in the growth of cricket, saying it fills a void which has been there since his playing days. He deemed that void now filled, thanks to the support of Republic Bank.
Essequibo will have 7 teams playing in 6 matches, while Berbice will feature 16 teams which will battle in a total of 18 matches. Demerara will have 21 teams playing in 19 matches. The winner of each county would be competing in a national play-off.
County finals are expected to bowl off on September 1, as county preliminaries and finals are set to end on August 30. The Finals will be held on September 3rd. (RBL)