WDCA’s Rising Stars Cricket Club remaining fit during COVID-19
…with an eye on 1st Division status
The coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world in general has inevitably affected cricket in Guyana, as clubs adhere to the health authorities’ precautions regarding the COVID-19 virus.
Rising Stars
Despite this setback and the need for confinement, players of one particular club of the West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA) — the Rising Stars Cricket Club of Canal Number Two — have begun to work in earnest on their individual fitness. Although training separately, they each have a passion to increase their fitness and match readiness as they aim to have their club attain First Division status when the situation returns to normalcy.
Under captaincy of the irrepressible Elroy Fernandes, the Rising Stars have participated in many tournaments locally and in the Caribbean. Most of those were private tournaments, and this team had gone on to pocket large incentives as reward for their hard labour. They had had a successful 2019, and the same had applied thus far in 2020, as they went up against players from every division of cricket in Guyana.
Speaking with club captain Elroy Fernandes, Guyana Times Sportwas told, “I know that for a team that isn’t recognized in Guyana, we have lots of talent, and I’m confident that we will soon produce players that are worthy to represent Guyana at all levels of cricket.”
Fernandes explained that his desire is to showcase this team to Guyana by having the team travel to various communities to participate in competitions. He declared it his intention that, through recognition, players would be able to play cricket at a higher level and provide financially for their families.
“Despite having individual players who perform exceptionally, we are not a team that promotes one person; we believe in ourselves as a team. Our club consists of 47 cricketers; we have an ‘A’ Team, ‘B’ Team and Under-19 Team. Our desire is to host one of the first female T20 competitions on the West Demerara, when the ground has been completed,” Fernandes disclosed.
