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January 19, 2014
guyanatimesGY.com
Guyanese trio in WI U-19 World Cup squad
Kumar embraces Mandela motion
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t John’s, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board on Saturday announced the 15-member squad for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. The team, which includes three Guyanese, will be led Jamaican offspinning all-rounder Ramaal Lewis. The vice-captain is Nicholas Pooran, the left-handed wicket-keeper/ batsman from Trinidad and Tobago. The Head Coach is Roddy Estwick. Opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, attacking middle-order batsman Shimron Hetmeyer and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie are the Guyanese in the squad. This year’s tournament will feature 16 teams in four groups. The Windies have been drawn alongside South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada in Group C. Their opening preliminary match is against the Proteas on Friday, February 14 at the Dubai International Stadium. The second match is on Sunday, February 16 against Zimbabwe at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, while the third games is two days later against the Canadians at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium Nursery Ground One. The Windies will assemble in Barbados next
Nelson Mandela
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Gudakesh Motie
Tuesday for a one-week camp at the Sagicor High Performance Centre before they depart for Dubai. The squad reads: Ramaal Lewis (Jamaica; captain), Nicholas Pooran (T&T; vice-captain),
Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Fabian Allen (Jamaica), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (Guyana), Bryan Charles (T&T), Tristan Coleman (Jamaica), Jonathan Drakes (Barbados), Shimron Hetmeyer (Guyana), Jerome Jones (Barbados),
Ray Jordan (Windward Islands), Brandon King (Jamaica), Preston McSween (Windward Islands), Marquino Mindley (Jamaica), Gudakesh Motie (Guyana) and Jeremy Solozano (T&T). (WICB Media)
WICB, Banks Holdings form new partnership
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ridgetown, BarbadosThe West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and Banks Holdings Ltd. announced a new agreement for the upcoming six-match series between West Indies and England. The partnership, which was unveiled during an official media conference at the President’s Suite at the Kensington Oval, will see Banks Beer as the “Official Beer Partner of West Indies vs England 2014.” Michael Muirhead, Chief Executive Officer of the WICB, welcomed Banks Holdings on board. Also in attendance were Nelecia Yeates, Commercial Manager of the WICB; Ray Chee-A-Tow, Chief Commercial Officer of Banks Holdings Ltd; and Bernard Frost, Marketing Manager of Banks Holdings Ltd. “We want to say thanks to Banks for being part of the West Indies cricket family. I welcome Banks Holdings Ltd. as truly a partner with the WICB,” Muirhead said. “It is a pleasure to be unveiling, with Banks Holdings Ltd, this deal which we think will help to
CEO of the WICB, Michael Muirhead (centre), makes a point at the launch on Saturday in the presence of officials of Banks Holdings Ltd
support cricket in the West Indies- and I say cricket in the West Indies- even more so than West Indies cricket. We have brought many sponsors on board as we look to develop the game and with Banks joining we expect that much more will happen in the future.” Muirhead added: “What we will be doing is channeling resources in areas which will make a difference towards the positive development of cricket in the West Indies. We have had a relationship with Banks before, it is one that has been nurtured over the years,
and now they are coming on board in a more wholesome manner.” Chee-A-Tow also said Banks Holdings Ltd. was delighted with the new partnership. He noted their eagerness to be part of the cricket landscape in the Caribbean. “It gives us great pleasure to partner with the WICB. We have a longstanding relationship with the WICB and even longer partnership with the Barbados Cricket Association. Anything that has sports, the Banks Holdings Group and by extension Banks
Beer has been involved,” he said. “We believe that what the WICB rolled out with the “We vs Them” campaign for the West Indies vs England series fits like a glove with what we have in mind and what we have planned for the upcoming matches in Antigua and Barbados.” The upcoming series will be feature three OneDay Internationals at the Sir Vivian Richards ground in Antigua (February 28, March 2 and 5) and three T20 Internationals at Kensington Oval in Barbados (March 9, 11, 13). (WICB Media)
irector of Sport Neil Kumar in the first sitting of Parliament since its resumption was in full support of the Mandela motion, noting Nelson Mandela’s ties to sport and his role in making South Africa the nation that it is today. The Mandela motion, according to Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, calls on the National Assembly and the people of Guyana to offer condolences to the people and government of South Africa along with Mandela’s family which will be forwarded through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile, Kumar believes that Mandela’s struggle and love for sport played a major part in revolutionising South Africa. “Nelson Mandela was indeed the father of the powerful nation [South Africa]. He was a revolutionary who was born and grew up in poor and humble background [and] became one of the greatest sons of the soil. Sport was a persistent theme in South Africa’s journey from apartheid to emancipation. First, sport was a lightning rod for the mobilisation of the global anti-apartheid movement. However, Mandela, who did not have any hatred for his enemies, but he who had his strong belief in reconciliation, used sport as a means of healing the deep division that plagued South Africa,” Kumar stated in his address. Further, Kumar recounted many occasions that sport changed in South Africa such as Mandela supporting a predominantly white rugby team in 1995, the exclusion of South Africa from the Olympics that caused African and Asian countries to form a united front, just to name a few. However, Kumar noted that Mandela’s release from prison caused the antiapartheid movement to end and it was his contribution
Director of Sport Neil Kumar
to sport that made a difference as he quoted Mandela as saying, “In the year 2000 Mandela said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.” Meanwhile, Kumar also noted the work of the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) around that time which drew strength from the struggles of Mandela as they too used sport to bind the population together. “The Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) organised countrywide lectures and seminars that sensitised and brought apartheid awareness in Guyana. In the 1980’s the PYO organised a big lecture at Friendship House on aparthied. The speakers were the late Chief Justice Mr. Rudolph Harper, Dr. James Rose and Dr. Cheddi Jagan. Sport, which was used as a tool in the struggle against apartheid, became a symbol of change when Mandela was released.” Moreover, Kumar also noted the greatest good that will forever link Mandela’s struggles to his own legacy. “Many things matter more than sport as South Africa comes to terms with life after Mr. Mandela, but when black and white play together they can take comfort that the simple act of Nelson Mandela is part of his great legacy,” Kumar ended.