St Cuthbert’s Mission Cricket team are latest beneficiaries

Project Cricket Gear…

St Cuthbert’s Mission’s cricket team 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 United States (US). Beharry, a project partner, was on a recent visit to the Amerindian community to participate in a friendly cricket match, and he was so impressed with the talent of the cricketers. More impressive, he observed, was the interest shown by the kids outside of the boundary area of the beautiful cricket ground, hence the ensuing contribution.
The donation of one box of cricket balls will be used to develop young cricketers; further, a promise was made to provide more support to the young cricketers in the community.

The project also recently received a cash donation of $100,000 from a generous family, who wished to withhold their names, to assist in the purchase of cricket gear for young, aspiring and talented players. The funds will be used only when requests are made for gear that is not available at the moment.
According to the organisers, “We take the opportunity to thank you for your kind gesture.”
“This project will continue to improve the lives of youths in every community. We are pleased to be part of the development of young cricketers in Guyana. Our aim is to keep them off the streets and get them actively involved in sports, cricket in particular.”
Total cricket-related items received/purchased so far: $730,000 in cash, 13 coloured cricket uniforms, one set of stumps, two trophies, 36 pairs of cricket shoes, 38 pairs of batting pads, 47 cricket bats, 42 pairs of batting gloves, 29 thigh pads, three pairs of wicketkeeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, 14 gear bags, 13 bat rubbers, seven helmets, one fibreglass bat, one pair of floppy hats, one pair of inners, 16 boxes and four white cricket balls, 13 boxes of red cricket balls, one bat cone and 28 footballs. In addition to the above, gear with a value of over $600,000 was donated by Sheikh Mohamed, former national wicketkeeper and 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, 36 bats, four boxes, six helmets, 37 pairs of cricket shoes, 21 pairs of batting pads, 26 thigh pads, one bat grip, 40 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, and Cold Fusion Cricket Club received thirteen colour uniforms, while RHCCCC received six boxes of balls, fifteen white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicketkeeping gloves, and 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 12 red balls, Lower Corentyne, Corentyne Comprehensive and JC Chandisingh Secondary Schools with 12 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, Blairmont Cricket Club with one pair of batting pads, one cricket bat, one helmet and cricket balls, Tagore Memorial Secondary School and St Cuthbert’s Mission with a box of 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.