(GUYANACHRONICLE)AIMING at developing the standard of Guyana’s cricket and ultimately cricket in the region, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) yesterday launched a groundbreaking League, dubbed the ‘Jaguars three-day Franchise League’. The new League will abandon the traditional senior inter-county structure and comprise eight franchise teams countrywide namely: Upper Corentyne (Nigg to Skeldon), Lower Corentyne (Albion to New Amsterdam), West Berbice, East Coast Demerara, Georgetown, East Bank/Upper Demerara, West Demerara and Essequibo.
In this new franchise system more than 100 quality players will vie for places in the national teams in the various formats.
During the official launching, Secretary of the GCB, Anand Sanasie, told the gathering that the initiative is the perfect opportunity for more local players to get more involved in the game so that they can showcase their talent at a higher competitive level.
“Everyone must have a chance not only those who have earned professional or academy contracts,†the GCB secretary said.
Sanasie pointed out, that despite the huge cost to offset the entire tournament, the GCB is financially strong at least for this year, adding that each player and support staff will be paid $5 000 per day once cricket is played.
Also making brief remarks was GCB president Drubahadur, who expressed optimism that the League will further develop the game locally and also West Indies cricket.
GCB’s Marketing Manager Raj Singh in giving an overview of the League, disclosed that the new system has been carefully designed to reinvigorate all aspects of cricket in Guyana.
“This franchise system is aimed at allowing interested parties to invest in the development of the team of their choice and have a greater stake in the actual composition, planning and development of their respective teams.
“This is a glorious opportunity for everyone to take ownership of their teams and its officials. We strongly feel that this new structure will bring more spectator interest to the game of cricket in Guyana,†Singh divulged.
Singh pointed out that in order to ensure that each franchise team is competitive as possible, the GCB has allocated the 33 cricketers under contract with West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and Cricket Guyana Inc. (CGI) within the eight teams in a fair and transparent manner, with the remainder of the teams coming from other players drawn largely from the eight geographic areas.
It was also pointed out that each franchise team can have two international players at their disposal, as well as two players out of their geographical area.
Singh further indicated that several franchise-holders are at various stages of negotiations with the GCB regarding the ownership of a team.
To this end, Singh said that interesting franchise-holders can take ownership of a team of their choice, preferably in the geographical area of their business enterprise.
“There will be contracts to be signed between the franchise owners and GCB clearly outlining each party’s duties and responsibilities, with the local boards lending support and technical personnel in the general administrative plans of the franchise,†Singh said.
Each franchise will have its own base ground facility for practice, training and games along with its own set of officials.
It was confirmed that the Upper Corentyne franchise will have Port Mourant Community Centre ground as its base ground facility while Lower Corentyne will be based at the Albion Community Centre ground.
West Berbice will travel to Young Warriors Cricket Club ground, East Coast Demerara at Enmore Community Centre ground. Georgetown will be based at GCC, East Bank/Upper Demerara will be at Everest, West Demerara will be at Wales and Essequibo was confirmed to be based at the Imam Bacchus ground.
The management officials were also confirmed and are as follows: Upper Corentyne (coach Winston Smith, Manager/Assistant coach Delbert Hicks), Lower Corentyne (coach Julian Moore, Manager/Assistant coach Andre Percival), West Berbice (coach Adrian Amsterdam, Manager/Assistant coach David Black), East Coast Demerara (coach Esaun Crandon, Manager/Assistant coach Jitlal Jowharilall), Georgetown (coach Colin Stuart, Manager/ Assistant/coach Garvin Nedd), East Bank/Upper Demerara (coach Clive Grimmond, Manager/Assistant coach Rohan Sarjoo), West Demerara (coach Rayon Griffith, Manager/Assistant coach Dhanpaul) and Essequibo (coach Michael Franco, Manager/Assistant coach Forbes Daniels).
The franchise teams will play each other once with the League set to conclude on October 9.
