GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday January 4, 2014
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BCB holds successful 2013 Annual General Meeting LAST SUNDAY, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) hosted a successful Annual General Meeting (AGM) at its Cheddi Jagan Street, New Amsterdam-based office despite the rainy weather, with representatives from Young Warriors, Bermine, Whim, Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, Berbice River Cricket Association, Mt Sinai, Chesney, Upper Corentyne, Bush Lot and Police in attendance. Members present received a comprehensive financial report for 2013 and Annual Reports from BCB president Keith Foster, Secretary Angela Haniff, Junior Selection Chairman Leslie Solomon, Senior Selection Chairman D. Somwaru and Competitions Committee Chairman Carl Moore. Recently reappointed Chairman of the Special Events Committee and the BCB’s 75th Anniversary Committee Hilbert Foster sought and received the blessings of the Board members for the committee’s proposals for 2014. The work of the Special Events Committee for this year would be centred on county-
Competitions. A Television Programme, Music Festival with the Guyana Police Force Band, donation of TV set to a children’s home, printing of souvenirs, Primary School Coaching Programme and the unveiling of a billboard featuring the photograph of Berbice greatest cricketer are also on the list of things to do. Members of the BCB expressed great disappointment at the non-selection of Shemaine Campbelle and Tremayne Smartt for the Guyana Cricket Board Female Cricketer-ofthe-Year despite superior overKeith Foster wide coaching, education, charity, personal development of cricketers and donation of cricket equipment to clubs in Berbice. Among the programmes approved for the BCB’s Diamond Jubilee celebration in September of this year are the publication of a special full-colour magazine, Inter-faith Religious Service, Cocktail Reception and Panel Discussion on Berbice Cricket, Hall of Fame for Administrator, and Essay and Quiz
Sport Ministry to intensify anti-doping campaign THE Sport Ministry is committed to upping its anti-doping strategies in light of securing Guyana’s image as a dignified player in the world of sport, regionally and internationally. At a press conference yesterday Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, expressed disappointment over the issue of Guyanese power lifter Gumendra Shewdas failing a doping test administered by the World Anti- Doping Agency (WADA). Shewdas failed the in-competition doping control test which was conducted in August 2013. Dr. Anthony noted that proper education with regards to prohibited substances is necessary, and added that his ministry will be conducting training sessions along with the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO) to educate sport officials, coaches and athletes. The ministry is currently in possession of the list of prohibited substances for sportsmen and women which it will make available to sports associations and officials. “We at the ministry we are extremely disappointed, but we have to learn our lesson and move on, and the moving on means we have to be more rigid with our anti-doping measures in Guyana, we have to do more educational sessions,” Minister Anthony said. The young Guyanese made his country proud after dominating at 2013 Sub Junior Powerlifting Championships. Subsequently the Guyana Powerlifting Federation was informed officially by the International Powerlifting Federation of Shewdas’ failure to pass a doping test. (GINA)
all performances at all levels played during the year and the non-recognition of Campbell’s achievement of becoming the first Guyanese female cricketer to score an International century. The Executive Committee was also mandated to review the performances of the Selection Committee and also to take corrective steps aimed at improving discipline among the Ancient County’s senior players. Special emphasis would be placed on school cricket in 2014 at the Under-15 and female levels while all junior cricket
tournaments at the Inter-zone levels will now be played over two days, while a decision was taken to have the fast bowlers bowling at least one third of the overs at the junior Inter-zone levels. Another major decision of the 2013 AGM was for the BCB to seek the assistance of former West Indies coach Roger Harper to assist several Berbice players to develop their games, with discarded Test players Brendon Bess and Devendra Bishoo among those listed. The Motion to establish a Hall of Fame for administrators
was also passed and the first inductees would include Duncan Stuart, Leslie Amsterdam, Victor Omrow, Lennox Phillips and Ancel Hazel. Members of the BCB also voted to debar all players in the GCB Senior Inter-county squads from playing at the Berbice second division level, following which the president at the conclusion of the AGM expressed gratitude to all present for the fruitful discussion and urged them to recommit themselves to the development of cricket in Berbice.
ICC testing new Decision Review System KINGSTON, Jamaica - The International Cricket Council (ICC) is testing a new review system for TV umpires that aims to improve accuracy and reduce the time taken to reach their decisions. The Officiating Replay System (ORS), developed by Hawk-Eye, is being assessed by former elite panel umpire Simon Taufel, who is acting as a shadow umpire on the ICC’s behalf in the ongoing Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test match. Without influencing the decision-making of TV umpire
Sundaram Ravi, who has just one monitor and one camera angle of the on-field action at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Taufel is able to view the direct feeds from all 16 cameras at the ground on two giant screens. The ORS aims to help TV umpires make better decisions more quickly, particularly when it comes to, for example, adjudging a no-ball or a clean catch. BEST SERVICE “Umpiring is all about giving the players the best service,
the best umpiring and best decisions possible (and) this trial fits into that theory,” Taufel said. Currently, the third umpire asks for a particular angle from the broadcaster before giving his verdict. With ORS, he could see all the angles for himself in one go without having to wait several minutes for the broadcaster’s feed. Barely two seconds would be needed to see if a bowler has bowled a no-ball and only five seconds to rule whether a fielder has stopped the ball cleanly at the boundary line.
“All we’re doing is looking at different options ... have less interruptions, less breaks in play and improve decision-making as much as we can,” said Taufel, who quit international umpiring after the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in 2012. The ORS has been trialed twice before - in the Ashes Test at Old Trafford last year and during the last one-day international between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Abu Dhabi in December. (First Published In The Jamaica Gleaner)