By Rajiv Bisnauth
Director of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Baldath Mahabir believes Guyana has the capacity to produce top class cricketers, especially batsmen. Mahabir made the comment on Tuesday evening during his feature address at the 16th Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Awards ceremony that took place at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) pavilion.
“Guyana has the capacity to produce top class cricketers, especially batsmen. Your country and its people have the talent and passion to excel, these raw uncut cricketing genes exist in every village in Guyana, sit with your stakeholders and plot your short, medium and long term development plans; find the genes, polish them and empower them, fill them with self belief and self esteem and explore Guyana talent to the world,” the WICB director stated.
He said the authorities should acknowledge cricket for what it is, since the sport has the ability to be a huge agent of social, as well as, economic transformation.
“Allow the game to strive and prosper; do your best to provide an enabling environment that will allow this game to flourish,” Mahabir said.
The WICB director spoke about the importance of history and the need for unity among local cricket administrators.
He said that the local cricket administrators must work together in the best interest for the development of the game to ensure the careers of several talented young Guyanese be better.
“Any structure that would allow the talents of Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Joe Solomon, Roy Fredericks, Clive Lloyd, Lance Gibbs, Alvin Kallicharan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, just to name a few, to not prosper must have much inherent good; there is no need to destroy this to create a new mechanism”.
Better administration
Meanwhile, Director of Sport Neil Kumar said that there is urgent need for better administration of the game locally. Kumar indicated that since Guyana has an extremely rich history in the game, there should be a general effort to resolve the outstanding issues that continue to affect the game.
Acting President of the GCB Faizul Bacchus provided an overview of Guyana’s cricket in 2013 and told the gathering, that the board has a comprehensive programme for the New Year in an effort to improve the ailing standard of Guyana’s cricket.
GCB Secretary and WICB Director, Anand Sanasie, provided the closing remarks.
Awardees
West Indies A team middle-order batsman Leon Johnson was named Cricketer-of-the- Year. On the distaff side June Ogle won the Female Cricketer-of-the-Year award while the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club was voted Club-of-the-Year.
Veerasammy Permaul won the Senior Regional Cricket-of-the-Year, while Christopher Barnwell collected the trophies for Outstanding Performance in Regional T20 and Senior Domestic Cricket.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul was named Junior Cricketer-of-the-Year and received the Roy Fredericks trophy. He was also named Most Valuable Player in the Regional Under-19 tournament. The young Chanderpaul, who is currently in Bangladesh with the West Indies youth team also, received two other trophies – in recognition to the selection to the West Indies Under-19 team and to record the Highest Individual score in the Regional Under-19 tournament.
Ronsford Beaton copped the Most Improved Player trophy, while Ronaldo Mohamed received a trophy for outstanding performance in the Regional Under-15 tournament.
Shimron Hetmyer and Gudakesh Motie received award in recognition to their selection to the West Indies Under-19 team. Motie also received the award for being the highest wicket taker in the Regional Under-19 tournament.
Narsingh Deonarine, Permaul, Assad Fudadin and Johnson were recipients of a trophy in recognition to the selection to the West Indies A team.
Special awards were handed out to Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Anand Sanasi, Chetram Singh, Terry Holder, Calvin Roberts, Hardat Thomas and Ryan Banwarie.
Also NEW GPC INC, Hand-in-Hand Insurance Company and Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) were recognized for their outstanding contribution to the development of cricket through sponsorship.
