Wilkinson is latest to benefit from Project “Cricket Gear”
The most recent young cricket player to gain from the collaborative effort between Kishan Das of the USA and Anil Beharry of Guyana is the aggressive opener and wicketkeeper Vikash Wilkinson. He was just picked to play for the Guyana Under-17 cricket team in the regional competition, which gets underway in Trinidad and Tobago on August 11.
Wilkinson is playing for Guyana at that level for the second year. He recently played for Demerara at the Under-19 and Under-17 levels in the GCB Inter County championships. He is a member of the Enmore Cricket Club. The right-hander received one pair of batting gloves.
He conveyed his appreciation for the token. He is happy that this initiative is contributing to his growth and that it has made him realise how crucial the degree of discipline needed to succeed is.
Vikash Wilkinson
We’ll keep helping kids, and we’re proud to be involved in the growth of cricket, particularly among young people, the organisers said.
Total goods obtained or bought so far for cricket: Thirteen coloured cricket uniforms, two trophies, twenty-five pairs of cricket shoes, thirty-three pairs of batting pads, thirty-five cricket bats, thirty-one pairs of batting gloves, twenty-five thigh pads, three pairs of wicket-keeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, twelve cricket bags, six bat rubbers, six helmets, one fiberglass bat, thirteen boxes of white cricket balls, three boxes of red balls, and twenty-eight footballs were among the assets valued at $460,000. Sheik Mohamed, a former national wicketkeeper and batsman, also donated equipment valued at over $600,000. The money raised is being utilized to buy cricket equipment that people have requested but isn’t currently available.
To date, seventy-nine young players, male and female, from all three counties of Guyana have benefited directly from seven gear bags, two trophies, four arm guards, thirty-two bats, three boxes, six helmets, thirty pairs of cricket shoes, nineteen pairs of batting pads, twenty-four thigh pads, one bat grip, thirty-three pairs of batting gloves, one pair of wicketkeeping pads and three pairs of wicketkeeping gloves. 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. 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 wicket keeping gloves, a set 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), Shemar Joseph, Nehemiah Hohenkirk, Shamar Apple, Leguan Cricket Committee, Tucber Park Cricket Club and Malteenoes Sports Club (nine cricket balls each).
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. Talent spotting is being done across the country and club leaders also assist to identify same. Progressive and well managed cricket clubs with a youth programme will also benefit.
The success of this initiative would never have been possible without the support of the following: 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, Kelvin Brijlall, Ravin Harkishun, Surendra Harkishun, Allan Mangru and Dennis Mangru, Vishal Mahabir, Sherman Austin, Huburn Evans, Rajendra Sadeo and Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall, Sheik Mohamed of Star Sports Awards and Trophies, Ajay Gainda of Cricket Equipment Guyana, Gajanand Singh, Peter Ramkissoon, Rabindranath Saywack, Roshan Gaffoor, Ameer Rahaman, Chin Singh, Denesh Chandrapaul, Davo Naraine of UK, Dr Cecil Beharry, Raj Mathura, Raj Bharrat, Latch Mohabir and family, Suresh Dhanai, Vishal Nagamootoo, Moses Nagamootoo Jr, Regal Sports Store, Omkar Singh, Parmanand Dhaniram, Reshma Mathura, Booman Singh, Krishna Rengensamy, Ishwar Singh, Ricky Deonarain of 4R Bearings, Terry Mathura of TDMJ Inc, Kennard Verapen and NY Pioneer CC, Anita and Derek Kallicharran, Subhas Powan Persaud of DX Sports, Ramjit Singh, Vishnu Dudnauth, Johnno Persaud, Bob Harrischan, Kumar Dindial, Shazam Hussain, Ravi Lutchman of JIS&L NY and Muhammad Afzal of Cyber Trading, Georgetown. The role of the media cannot be underestimated and we thank you for your continued support from the inception. Distribution will continue.