By Tiadi Blair
National cricket commentator Edwin Seeraj has organized the annual Cricket Day Camp which is staged to encourage males and females between the ages of eight and 15 to take up the sport as an extra-curricular activity.

The Cricket Day Camp has been functioning since 1997 with six camps having been held within this period.

Seeraj says the programme is aimed at school age children who have an interest in learning the basics of the popular Caribbean sport. He drafts in some of the best to work with children to not only develop their practical but theoretical knowledge of cricket.

Seeraj said, “The main objective is to teach youngsters the basic principles of the game so that they will be better all round players.”

This can be described as a grass roots programme  which takes children from a young age and teaches them the basics and if they wish to pursue the activity at the club level they can go into it already knowledgeable about the sport.

Some of the theoretical and practical aspects of cricket which they focus on are batting styles, bowling, tactics and strategies, captaincy, umpiring and more importantly the history of the game.

The programme gives opportunities for representing Guyana at the national level as evident with some who have gone on to represent the Land of many waters.

“A few of the players that have passed through the programme are national opener Shemroy Barrington, former national player Troy Cornelius and former national under-19 batsman Robin Bacchus.”

The sessions will be held during the school holidays from Monday to Friday at the National Insurance Scheme ground. Former Guyana off spinner Gavin Nedd will be the head coach along with a few other experienced players and coaches lending a hand.

Seeraj said there are still a few places available and interested persons can contact him on telephone numbers 623-9558 or 2276255.