Cricket is known around the world as a gentleman’s game and one can see crazed, enthusiastic fans celebrating as each shot or wicket is taken. But when there in an unjust, it really shows that the game doesn’t help itself.
Speaking with Guyana Times Sport via an anonymous source, the great injustice done towards the Zeeburg Sports Club was brought to the attention of this publication.
The club was scheduled to contest a semi-final on January 21 against Independence A at Joe Vieira Park, West Bank Demerara, but due to inclement weather, the game was abandoned as requested by the Board Chairman Omar
WDCB Champions Independence A
Houssain.
According to the source, the Zeeburg team arrived on-time for the match which was scheduled for a 09:00h start; however, it did not get underway for the next hour and a half. Inclement weather subsequently made the venue unfit for play.
It is understood that Houssain mentioned the match would be rescheduled and it was. On January 24, Zeeburg SC learnt through the coach that the rearranged date was January 27; a date which did not synchronise with the club.
Guyana Times Sport was told the coach then relayed to Houssain that the date was unsuitable for his side and tried to request another but got no answer. No other member of Zeeburg was ever contacted on the issue. They were automatically knocked out of the tournament.
Instead, the final was contested on Sunday, February 10, between Independence A and McGill Superstars. McGill lost by 106 runs.
Therefore, it brings the question to the table, why was Zeeburg victimised?
The club is one of the most productive in the West Demerara region, producing six national youth cricketers in the last four years; one Senior Inter County Player and two coaches that work with the West Demerara franchise.
According to another source, the state of cricket is in a deplorable state with nothing being done for the young players in West Demerara. It is the same under Houssain’s tenure (2015-2019).
According to the source, if any competition is being held, it is usually something private and the clubs would have to go into their pockets to pay to be eligible to play.
The source went on to share with this publication that it is impossible to host cricket in the West Demerara area because no monies or subsidies are given to the clubs to offset their cricket event. There was also the issue of nominating the president and secretary an occasion at which the team captains must be present; however, the West Demerara Cricket Board took it upon itself to invite a select few persons who are not cricket oriented to complete the process. The source noted that this is the second time the Board has done this and proposed that everything be left in place until 2020.
The cries of the West Demerara cricket fraternity often fall on deaf ears as players hound for a chance to streamline into the inter-association, inter-county, regional and international cricket teams.
