WICB hosts charity match for Dominica

…Yohan Blake, Brian Lara among celebrities to take part

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The West Indies Cricket Board says it will donate all proceeds of a Twenty20 charity match to be played on Saturday, September 26, in Barbados to the Dominica Emergency Relief Fund.

Admission is US$10 for adults and US$5 for children under the age of 12, with all money going directly to the Dominica Government to assist with recovery efforts in the island which suffered severe damage to property and loss of life from the passage of Tropical Storm Erika, and continues to be affected by seasonal heavy rainfall, WICB said in a release on Wednesday.

President of the WICB Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron urged fans to attend and give generously at the upcoming charity match.

“Like most people in the Caribbean, we’ve all seen the devastating effects of these weather systems on Dominica, and we got together and tried to determine what we could do to assist,” said Cameron.

“West Indies cricket has brought the people of the Caribbean together like nothing else, so the WICB and our players are committed to doing our part to help in the face of disaster, as has occurred in Dominica.”

The match which is being organised by the WICB in partnership with the University of the West Indies will feature a WICB President’s Invitational XI and the UWI Vice Chancellor’s Invitational XI. First ball at Kensington Oval is 7:00 pm.

Each side is expected to field half-dozen current players from the West Indies team currently preparing for next month’s Tour of Sri Lanka and a number of celebrity players.

West Indies batting legend Brian Lara, Tobago-born international football star Dwight Yorke and Jamaican track star Yohan Blake are among the first celebrities to confirm their availability for the match.

“We are grateful for the support of the UWI and the celebrities that have graciously agreed to take part,” said Cameron. “Using the power and contribution of cricket, so that the recovery efforts underway in Dominica can continue and life can steadily be restored to normal in the island is very crucial.

“We hope West Indies fans will get behind the effort and help raise money for the Dominica Emergency Relief Fund to help the people and families who have lost their homes and, in some instances, their livelihoods.”

Bucket collections will also be made around the stadium for the fixture which the organisers hope will attract a capacity crowd and electronic provisions will be in place to accept financial pledges. (Jamaica Observer)