Cricket Guy Inc. (CGI) inaugural Local Franchise League bowled off on Saturday, December 5, 2015 with the first round matches. Action between Upper Corentyne and East Coast Demerara franchises will be at the Enmore Community Centre ground, Georgetown versus Lower Corentyne/New Amsterdam/Canje at Albion Community Centre ground, West Berbice against Essequibo at Georgetown Cricket Club ground, and West Demerara versus East Bank Demerara/Upper Demerara at Wales Community Centre ground.
This League seeks to uphold the highest professional standards, where players are committed to team goals and other task related player development assignment. It also seeks to model the cricket development methodology utilized by the WICB Professional Cricket League, thereby widening the pool of players locally who can participate in a purposeful and meaningful career path.
Such a purposeful pathway, sees the Local Franchise League seeking to encourage talented and emerging players to utilize this professional arrangement as an effective career pathway, in which they can dedicate time to their game, be tutored under a proficient coaching education program, be guided through a psychological development program, be groomed under a vibrant mentorship system, and participate in a highly competitive tournament – league, which attracts favorable payment packages for all players and coaches. The League is also staffed by remunerated Scorers, Match Referees, Umpires, and an Umpire Coach.
In an effort to widen the pool of players to select from, and to provide greater opportunities for local players, 8 league teams have been set up across the country, namely Upper Corentyne, Lower Corentyne/New Amserdam/Caje, West Berice, East Coast Georetown, East Bank/Upper Demerara, West Demerara and Essequibo. All of the teams are assigned professional guest players.
As a consequence, the Local Franchise League will feature the contracted and Academy players being assigned to the 8 teams, with Upper Corentyne having the support of Davendra Bishoo, Anthony Bramble and Assad Fudadin, with Lower Corentyne/New Amsterdam/Canje featuring Veerasammy Permaul, Raun Johnson and Shimron Hetymer, while Keon Joseph, Kandasammy Surujnarine and Gudakesh Motie will turn out as professionals for West Berbice, whereas East Coast Demerara will include Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Paul Wintz, Rajendra Chandrika and Steven Sankar, while Georgetown will feature Leon Johnson, Christopher Barnwell, Raj Nanan and Kemol Savory as their professional guest players, with East Bank/Upper Demerara donning Robin Bacchus, Tevin Imlach, Dexter Solomon and Vishaul Singh, whereas West Demerara will have as their professionals Javon Searles, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Akshaya Persaud, Steven Jacobs and Kemo Paul, while Essequibo will featureas their professional guest players, Ronsford Beaton, Raymon Reifer, Kevon Boodie and Anthony Adams.
The Precursor to the Inaugural Local Franchise League – professional league has already created a hype among cricket playing individuals, and is expected to stimulate interest among the cricketing public.
The Local Franchise League is a means being utilized by the CGI to realize the set goal of the organization to catapult the competitive standard of the game locally to new and unassailable heights.