Shimron/Nirvani Hetmyer Berbice Cricket Trust Fund: $1M worth of balls distributed to cricket clubs across Berbice

“Never in the history of Guyana’s Cricket has a cricket board invested into the game at the club level like the Berbice Cricket Board. We are fully aware (of) the expenses associated with the game and how many clubs are struggling to fulfill their mandates. We are very grateful for the support of Shimron Hetymer and his wife. It is my hope that all the clubs would remember them in their prayers.”
Those were the words of Berbice Cricket Board President Hilbert Foster as he spoke to representatives of clubs in the Upper Corentyne area, where he had gone to distribute cricket balls from the BCB/Hetmyers Berbice Cricket Trust Fund.
Over the last week, the BCB has shared out $1M worth of red cricket balls from the Shimron/Nirvanie Hetmyer Trust Fund as part of its comprehensive developmental programme. Distribution of the balls were done in the five sub-association areas: Berbice River, New Amsterdam/Canje, Lower Corentyne, West Berbice and Upper Corentyne.
A total of eighty-five second division teams have benefitted from donation of the balls. Foster urged the clubs to use the balls for the intended purpose, and committed his administration to supporting their efforts in the future.
Since his election in February 2018, Foster has spearheaded a massive support project that has seen players and clubs receiving numerous donations from the BCB. Players have received cricket gear, educational grants, educational scholarships, bicycles, electronic tablets, school bags and materials, while cricket clubs have received bowling machines, batting cages, practice nets, cricket gear, cricket balls, grass cutter, pitch corners, water pitchers, scorebooks and uniforms, among other things.

Foster recalled that earlier in 2023, the BCB had distributed another $1M worth of white cricket balls to first division clubs: West Berbice, Blairmont, Berbice River, Tucber Park, Rose Hall Canje, Young Warriors, Police, Albion, Port Mourant, RHTY&SC, Upper Corentyne and Skeldon.
The Berbice Cricket Board would also shortly be sharing out five bowling machines to Blairmont, Tucber Park, Achievers, No. 73 Young Warriors, and Skeldon. Six clubs have already received bowling machines, and five batting cages have also been distributed across the county.
The BCB, during the course of the next month, would also be launching the BCB Wall of Fame at the Tain Campus of the University of Guyana, and commission the Berbice Test Players Billboard with the Guyana Breweries Inc.
Among the Clubs benefitting from the Hetmyers Trust Fund are No. 72 Cut and Load, Skeldon, Dukestoner, No. 43, Wiruni, Sandhills, Ebini, Rose Hall Canje, Mt. Sinai, Edinburgh, Guymine, No.19 Kendall’s Union, Rose Hall Tigers, Kilcoy, Albion, Whim, Goed Bananen Land, No.73 Young Warriors, Radha Krishna Foundation and Courtland.
Representatives of the different clubs have expressed thanks to Shimron Hetmyer for his continued assistance to the development of Berbice Cricket.
The Hetmyers this year contributed $1.5M to the trust fund, with the remaining $500,000 being used to host an inter-primary school and 20/20 second division tournament in the New Amsterdam/Canje area.
Shimron Hetmyer has committed to financing the trust fund as long as Hilbert Foster remains the head of the BCB.