2017 BCB Election… Somwaru wants to be judged by his works

Sep 26, 2017 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...judged-by-his-works/

By Sean Devers

The race for the Presidency of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) is getting closer to the finish line and the new BCB head will be known on October 8.
In what could be the most important Berbice Board Elections and the first since January 2014, campaigning has already started.
Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club’s Hilbert Foster and President of the Guyana Cricket Umpires Council Dhiranidranuath Somwaru are the names vying for the Presidency.
The 64-year-Somwari told Kaieteur Sports on Saturday at the Port Mourant ground in Berbice that despite the cautious support by his family for what could be a very stressful position, he will run in the Elections.
The former First-Class Umpire, has been a Headmaster at different schools for the past 30 years and recently recovered from illness.
A member of Berbice Board since in the 1980’s, Somwaru said he wanted to be judged by his works.
“I don’t want endorsements since despite how genuine they are they will not be the ones voting. I want to be judged by my works. I first became involved in cricket administration around the same time that Carl Moore (former Guyana youth Manager and PRO of the BCB) became a member,” stated Somwaru, who was the Stand-by Umpire for the ODIs when West Indies played Zimbabwe and England at Bourda.
Somwaru said his relationship with Foster began years ago, adding that he has nothing against him.
“We go back a long way and I am not a person to engage in fighting and mud-slinging just to get a position and I hope we can both keep the dirty cricket politics out of this elections,” said Somwaru who began Umpiring at First-Class level in the 1990’s and stood in a few West Indies ‘A’ team games in Guyana.
When asked if he was confident of winning? Somwaru said he would not use the word confident but would say he was hopeful.
“I am hopeful that the voters vote on my work, but as you know in any Elections some people would promise you their vote and then at last moment change their mind,” explained the former Albion and Chesney Club Cricketer.
“If elected my priority would be grassroots development, since although Berbice has always produced outstanding youth players, the U-13s, U-15s and U-17s tournaments will the focus to be feeders to the U-19s and Senior teams. Sponsorship for competitions is a major problem and should I be elected I want everyone to be involved for the good of Berbice Cricket,” informed Somwaru.
When asked why there have only been two rounds of 40-over first division cricket for the year and no two-day tournaments during the time he was in control of Berbice Cricket, Somwaru explained, “I admit that there has not been enough cricket for the players but you must remember that due to rain, the grounds were not in a good condition and when the weather changed the (GCB/CGI) Franchise League began so we did not have enough time to play more matches,” Somwaru revealed.
“The schedule could be a problem but I believe that when the Franchise League is completed the best players from each county are picked for an inter-county competition with the two overseas Franchise players and one guest player selected in the Essequibo team,” Somwaru opined.
Somwaru said many of the youngsters might know him only as an Umpire and not as a Cricketer.
“I first joined Albion as a batting all-round before leaving to work in Georgetown before returning to Berbice in the 70s when I became a member of Chesney. I played a few matches in Georgetown for the Teachers Training College, who he think’s played in the second or third division. I was recommended for Trials in 1972, 73 &74 but I did not attend because of batsmen like Joe Solomon and Basil Butcher who were there,” Somwaru concluded.