GUYANA Cricket Board (GCB) president Chetram Singh has described 2001 as an extremely busy, successful and historic year for his board.

Speaking at the GCB sixth annual Achievement Awards ceremony, held at the Umana Yana, Georgetown on Tuesday night, Singh listed the hosting of the first leg of the South African tour, the staging of four matches in the regional Busta Cup series, the regional Under-19 competition and Zone B of the Red Stripe Bowl Cup as the assignments undertaken by the board.

The GCB boss also alluded to the fact that it was also a year of some successes on the field. Guyana were runners-up in both the Busta Cup and Busta International Shield, second in the regional Under-15 competition and winners of the Red Stripe Bowl.

On the historic note, Singh boasted of Guyana having six players, for the first time, in the West Indies Test and one-day side against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe.

Referring to Guyana placing second in the Busta Cup, after finishing the tournament with 57 points, the same as Barbados, the GCB boss pointed out that Guyana challenged the decision because of a controversial interpretation of the playing conditions but the decision was overruled by a judge in Antigua.

Highlighting the outstanding performances in the Busta Cup, Singh said captain Carl Hooper scored 954 runs (four centuries and four half-centuries0 at an average of 95.40 per innings and took 25 wickets at an average of 25.40 runs per wicket; Ramnaresh Sarwan scored 606 runs (two centuries and four half-centuries) at an average of 67.33 per innings; Travis Dowlin 422 runs (one century and four half-centuries) at an average of 52.75 per innings; Neil McGarrell 32 wickets at an average of 28.81 per wicket; Kevin Darlington 26 wickets in six matches at 19.11 runs per wicket and Mahendra Nagamootoo who played three matches and took 17 wickets at an average of 26.94 runs each.

On the other hand, Singh described Guyana’s performance in the regional Under-19 tournament as the worst in recent years. Guyana finished fifth in both the three-day and one-day versions.

The only performance of note, Singh said, was fast bowler Jeremiah Harris’ 23 wickets at 19.95 runs per wicket and all-rounder Adrian Persaud who scored 260 runs, hitting a top score of 85 and averaging 52.00.

The GCB president however noted that two players - Narsingh Deonarine and Ron Matthews, who were both eligible - were in England with the West Indies Under-19 team.

Singh also cited the appointment of Hooper as captain of the West Indies team as an achievement.

Hooper became the fifth Guyanese after M.P Fernandes, Rohan Kanhai, Clive Lloyd and Alvin Kallicharran to captain the West Indies team when he led the regional side in the first test against South Africa at Bourda in April.

Singh told the audience, which included acting President Samuel Hinds, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Gail Teixeira, other ministers of the government, Opposition Leader Desmond Hoyte, CARICOM Assistant Secretary General Dr Edward Greene, former chancellor Justice Cecil Kennard, members of the Diplomatic Corps and awardees, that the GCB was looking forward to 2002 with lots of expectation.

Guyana is scheduled to host four Busta Cup matches in February and March, the first Test between West Indies and India in April and the regional women’s competition in August. (Frederick Halley).