By Calvin Roberts (Guyana Chronicle)

DIRECTOR of Sport within the National Sports Commission (NSC) Neil Kumar last night extended congratulations to the Bhaskar Yadram-led national Under-15 team, who yesterday claimed their inaugural West Indies Cricket Board Regional Under-15 title.

“I wish to say on behalf of the Diaspora, heartfelt congratulations to the national Under-15 cricket team for winning the West Indies championships. I believe that they were one of the better teams to leave these shores and compete and they certainly vindicated my thoughts with the win,” said Kumar.
He added, “They have certainly confirmed within the cricketing public in Guyana that the nursery of Guyana’s cricket is filled with talent and I am looking forward to seeing the Under-19 team emulate their Under-15 counterparts and take the Regional Under-19 championships as well.
We, at the NSC, are very pleased with the work that is being done by the Drubahadur-steward Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and we wish to say that this win can serve with the continued development of Guyana’s cricket, even as I call on the administrators of the game to build upon this win.”
According to Kumar, Guyana’s Under-15 team have also demonstrated to the cricketing world, the strength of the West Indies nursery and he wished the team all success in the future and a safe journey home as champions.

Secretary of the GCB, Anand Sanasie, was also enthralled with the win, saying it came amidst many hiccups and challenges the GCB would have endured over time.
“It was heartening to hear of the Under-15 success late yesterday afternoon. Certainly we knew that the way they were playing, they would have defeated Jamaica and they did for which we are all happy.
Despite the many challenges we would have faced, the GCB continues to ensure that teams are well prepared, even though at times we would have had to make hard decisions which are bearing fruit now and we do hope that this is the first of many successes to come,” said Sanasie.
Like Kumar, Sanasie, who is also a WICB Director, is waiting eagerly to see the Under-19 team pull off the win in the Regional championships that is currently being contested in Guyana, despite the many hiccups they are enduring, including batting failures.
“The Under-19 team which is being led by Brian Sattaur, is progressing nicely in the three-day format of the Regional championships and it would be a wonderful sight to see them come out on top and join the Under-15 boys as Regional champions, as it is evident that amongst the turmoil facing Guyana’s cricket, some good things are happening.”
Batting first yesterday in the game that was contested at the Melbourne ground in Jamaica, Guyana scored 248 for 7 from their 50 overs with Steve Deonarine hitting an unbeaten 60, backed by 54 from Kris Ramnarine, 37 from Alphius Bookie and an unbeaten 26 from Colin Barlow.
Despite Raewin Senior’s 113, Guyana, through the bowling of Yadram (3 for 46) and Kevin Sinclair and Stephen Kamaladeen who took two wickets each for 31 and 41 runs respectively, bowled out Jamaica for 237 to come away with an 11-run victory.
The team is being coached by Julian Moore.