West Berbice clubs receive cricket balls from Hetmyer Cricket Fund 2022

Representatives from West Berbice clubs pose with their cricket balls after the presentation (Photo: BCB)

Cricket clubs in the West Berbice sub association of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) last week received cricket balls under the BCB/Shimron and Nirvani Hetmyer Cricket Development Fund.

Distributions to Berbice clubs from the Hetmyer Fund began in May.

Shimron and Nirvani Hetmyer (Photo: Shimron Hetmyer FB)

Last year, West Indies middle-order batsman Shimron Hetmyer and his wife, Nirvani Hetmyer donated $700,000 worth of balls and provided $200,000 for educational grants under their namesake cricket trust fund.

90 cricket clubs across the county are set to benefit from this year’s edition of the fund.

For this year’s edition of the trust fund, the couple have increased their support from $1M to $1.5M.

This is the second time for 2022 so far that West Berbice clubs have benefitted from donations of balls.

The clubs had earlier in the year received a box of balls under the Faizal Jaferally Developmental Fund for West Berbice while first division clubs late last year had carried home $1M worth of white balls under the Patron Fund.

Clubs in the area over the last four years had also benefited from donations of cricket gears, stumps, water pitchers, rain coats, bicycles, school bags, catching cribs, educational materials, trophies, medals and a large pitch covers among others.

The Hetmyers’ have committed to funding the programme as long as Foster remains the head of the board as they have full confidence in his vision for the game in Berbice and the way how their funds are used.

Foster also used the opportunity last weekend to update the clubs of some upcoming developmental projects including a mini academy for fifty youths in the area, a comprehensive inter secondary school coaching programme, gears for schools and youth aged tournaments for schools.

He also disclosed that shortly the BCB should have its own grass cutting machine to maintain cricket grounds across the county.

Meanwhile, Berbice clubs continue to reject Foster’s resignation with Cotton Tree, D’ Edwards, Achievers, Police, Bath, Bush Lot United, Shieldstown, Rainbow Generation and Blairmont Remnants expressing confidence in his leadership.

Foster had, earlier this year informed that he planned to resign as BCB President effective from the 31st of July.