Busta Shield win was highlight of 2002

Busta Shield win was highlight of 2002
- says GCB president Chetram Singh
By Donald Duff
Stabroek News
January 1, 2003

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President of the Guyana Cricket Board, Chetram Singh, has selected Guyana's winning of the Busta International Shield competition as the highlight of the 2002 cricket season.

"The feature of cricket in Guyana in 2002 was Guyana winning the Busta Shield," Singh told Stabroek Sport in an exclusive interview.

Guyana drew with defending champions Jamaica in the 2002 Busta International Shield final but won the title by virtue of leading the Jamaicans on first innings.

Guyana's victory was due to a splendid unbeaten century (149 n.o) from Guyana and West Indies skipper Carl Hooper. The knock helped the locals to 354 all out surpassing the homesters first innings score of 277. Jamaica were 99-3 in the second innings.

Singh enthused over the fact that Guyana, who had lost to Jamaica the previous year had come out on top in the repeat final of the competition which also included Bangladesh `A'.

HISTORIC VISIT

The year also saw an historic event when, for the first time, a Guyana U-15 team travelled to England to play a series of matches while the GCB hosted the regional women's cricket tournament in August. Another first occurred when Sarwan scored his first Test and one-day centuries.

The GCB also hosted the English schoolboys in April for the second year after their inaugural visit last year.

FACILITIES

Some 58 clubs received nets to help them improve training sessions while 20 catching-cribs were distributed to clubs.

The GCB boss said a further 20 are to be given out.

CRICKET DEVELOPMENT

Singh said the Cricket Development Committee of the GCB visited Linden, Rupununi and Essequibo in an effort to assess the situation to see what could be done to improve cricket in those areas.

And, new Cricket Development Officer of the GCB former West Indies off-spinner Clyde Butts, was instrumental in arranging courses for match-referees, scorers and umpires, Singh revealed.

Singh said Youth Camps were held in Berbice and Essequibo during the August holidays for first time while he said the GCB also supported the Malteenoes Academy financially much more this year.

COMPETITIONS

The GCB managed to complete all its competitions with the exception of a 50 overs knock out tournament for which they did not have a sponsor, Singh said.

"We completed the inter-county four- day (Banks Malta) and the Inter-County one-day (El Dorado), GUYOIL under-15, and the GTM three-day and one-day under-19 tournaments in addition to the trial matches for all national teams," Singh said.

A new champion was crowned after three years when Lower Corentyne put a halt to the winning streak of previous title holders Covent Garden Secondary.

A feature of this tournament was the fact that the Ministry of Education provided free balls which, Singh said, resulted in an additional six more schools than last year participating.

FINANCES

"The GCB continues to be in the black not withstanding the fact that the funds that normally come from the WICB have dried up for the past three years."

"However at our last meeting in September, the WICB promised US$100,000 to help the area boards in the day to day expenses.

NEGATIVES

"I was very disappointed in the under-15 and under-19 cricketers. They do not seem to have the dedication as before. Once selected they feel as if they have arrived," Singh observed.

Plans for the new year said Singh include trying to improve the present coaching system and re-train the local coaches to get them more in line with the new Australian system that the WICB has incorporated.