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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday March 28, 2014
DCC erects floodlights around venue … celebrates same with matches tonight
Paul Wintz THE LANCE GIBBS Street, Queenstown-based Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) has partnered with the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) in the installation of floodlights at what is now known as the Demerara Cricket Club Sports Complex, as part of its ongoing development programme. The floodlights have been partially commissioned with three poles erected, and a similar number to be completed shortly
Travis Dowlin and the Club, in collaboration with the GFSCA, will be testing its recent installation tonight, with two cricket matches involving both hardball and softball from 18:00hrs. The hardball match will be 15 overs per side, involving DCC ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams, with the toss set to be spun at 17:45hrs, since the match is expected to be over at 19:30hrs to facilitate the start of the softball fixture five minutes later between GFSCA and Parika Softball Stars.
Former Guyana and West Indies opener Travis Dowlin, along with the club’s NAGICO Super50 stars, West Indies T20 player Christopher Barnwell and Paul Wintz, will feature among the next generation of players for the club in the hardball fixture. For the softball, well-known softball icon Ricky Deonarine, Karamchand Ramchand and Ramesh Sunich, Managing Director of Trophy Stall which is located in Bourda Market, Hadi’s City Mall and South Road, Bourda, and others will be featured. To this end, the president and executives of the DCC believe that this important project to have lights at the venue, making it the first cricket ground in Georgetown to have same, can only augur well in the general development of players at the club and by extension players in Georgetown. “We see this as a shot in the arm for cricket in the city and we are eternally grateful for the contributions made by the many business persons associated with the Floodlights group.
GCA competitions continue this weekend FOLLOWING a lengthy lay for several reasons including the inclement weather, the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) will continue their competitions this weekend, with several matches being played at the first and second division levels. In the Hadi’s World City Mall Inc. first division twoday competition which starts tomorrow, Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) will travel to Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) to face the home team, with Mario Nicholls and Deon Feassal umpiring. At the world renowned Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, GCC will host their nemesis and defending champions Demerara Cricket Club, with Shannon Crawford and Ryan Banwarie being the men in charge with both matches commencing at 09:30hrs. Two fixtures in the GCA/Carib Beer T20 competition will be played tomorrow with the Police Sports Club ground being the venue.
Christopher Barnwell “Additionally, we anticipate the positive spinoff of our youngsters both at DCC and in the City being exposed to playing under lights at a very early age. This can only help in the developmental process of the game we all love, the club said in a press release The Club has extended a cordial invitation to all cricket-loving and sporting fans to be at the venue this afternoon to witness the action and at the same time enjoy the cool refreshments which will be on sale.
In the first match which bowls off at 09:00hrs, the home team will take on Transport Sports Club while the second fixture will pit Guyana Defence Force opposing Gandhi Youth Organization, with Cyril Garnath and Clyde Layne calling play in both fixtures. In the Noble House Sea Foods second division two day competition, University of Guyana will host Everest under the watchful eyes of Joseph Jeffery and Chetram Persaud, DCC will journey to GYO with Ashok Brijcoomar and Leyland Liverpool doing on field duties and Third Class will play Sophia at GDF; Nolan Hawke and Anthony Ramsahoye will be the match officials and all matches start at 11:00hrs. From page 31
Homraj - the most exciting...
Pollard set for return following knee injury PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard will make a return to first class cricket today, after nearly six months out of action with a knee injury. Pollard has been picked in the Trinidad and Tobago squad which will face Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) at the Queen’s Park Oval in the fifth round of the Regional Four-Day Championship.
Kieron Pollard
The right-handed batsman last played in the Champions League Twenty20 in India last October but has been sidelined ever since, missing the West Indies tours of India and New Zealand. He also missed the Caribbean Super50 as well as the current Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh. News of his return to action will be welcomed by the West Indies who welcome New Zealand and Bangladesh to
the Caribbean starting in June. Pollard turned out for club side Queen’s Park in the Premier Division last weekend and showed his rustiness by failing to score but blasted an unbeaten 44 on Wednesday to help Queen’s Park to victory in the T20 competition. He is one of two changes to the T&T side with experienced off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth also joining the squad.
Under-pressure India board chief offers to step aside (REUTERS) - N. Srinivasan, regarded as the world’s most powerful cricket administrator, offered to step down as the Indian board president yesterday, in the wake of a fixing and betting scandal surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL). Earlier this week, India’s highest court called on Srinivasan to leave his post at the BCCI to ensure a fair investigation into the scandal in which his son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, has been indicted for illegal betting. Yesterday, the Supreme Court put forward former India captain Sunil Gavaskar as Srinivasan’s replacement and said the Chennai and Rajasthan franchises should be kept out of the IPL pending the completion of probe due to their role in the scandal. The BCCI, whose lawyer told the court that Srinivasan was ready to step aside, has been asked to respond to the proposals today. Meiyappan was arrested in May last year by Mumbai Police
probing illegal betting on the lucrative Twenty20 tournament but was later released on bail. Legal sports betting in India is confined to horse racing. Local media claimed Meiyappan was chief executive of the Chennai Super Kings but the company that owns the IPL franchise, India Cements, said he was merely a member of team management. Srinivasan, set to take over as chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) board in July, heads India Cements. The scandal surfaced when former Test bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and two other local cricketers, all playing for the Rajasthan franchise, were arrested on suspicion of taking money to concede a fixed number of runs. Sreesanth, who had denied any wrongdoing, was subsequently banned for life by the BCCI.
Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali (left) presents young Ashkay Homraj with his Berbice Cricket Board Most Improved Cricketer of 2013 Award.
The RHTYSC, he stated has invested heavily into Homraj’s career and would continue to do so and expressed hope that those in authority at the Berbice and Guyana cricket level can do the same as he is a special talent. This year, the club appointed Homraj as the captain of the Rose Hall Town Pepsi Under-19 team, replacing former national Under-19 skipper Shawn Pereira in that position, while he (Homraj) recently captured the Berbice Cricket Board Most Improved Cricketer award for 2013. Homraj, who is a very disciplined and reserved individual, expressed gratitude to the management of the RHTYSC for the confidence they have in his ability and nurturing it and specifically mentioned Foster for being a role model to him and guiding him along the correct path. He also mentioned office manager Moonish Singh, club coach Winston Smith and teammates Pereira, Assad Fudadin, Delbert Hicks, Royston Crandon, Khemraj Mahadeo and Brandon Prasad for their support and encouragement.