Monday, 28 March 2011 – Road Town, Tortola: Close to twenty (20) youth cricketers on Tortola are benefitting from specialized coaching sessions under a programme initiated by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and Digicel, The Bigger, Better Network.

The West Indies Cricket Board Digicel Grassroots Cricket Training Programme caters to 12 to 17 year olds and follows on from similar programmes including the Digicel Cricket Clinics in 2009 and more recently the Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Programme.

The programme will see over 2,600 participants all across the Caribbean receiving specialized coaching from over 180 WICB accredited coaches in the coming months.

Here in the BVI, Coach Charlie Jackson has been working with a group of youth cricketers every Saturday since mid January at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) Grounds. He said they are being coached in the rudiments of cricket – batting, bowling and fielding.

“The participants are all very enthusiastic and enjoying the sessions very much,” stated Jackson. “The coaches intend to expand the programme to other areas of the territory over the next couple of months and we anticipate that by the end of the season we will have a good crop of young cricketers in the Virgin Islands to carry on this well-loved Caribbean sport.”

CEO of Digicel BVI, Alan Bates, said Digicel is proud to be associated with this programme especially because it involves the youth and one of the most popular sports in the Caribbean.

He said: “Since its launch in the region in 2001, cricket has been a major sponsorship property of ours. We have sponsored the West Indies Cricket Team and top players the likes of Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Denesh Ramdin. It is a privilege to work with the West Indies Cricket Board again to promote the development of youth cricket in these islands, with a view to fostering the fun, excitement and passion of cricket to as many people as possible across the region.”

The official launching of the West Indies Cricket Board Digicel Grassroots Cricket Training Programme will take place on Saturday 2 April, 1:30pm at the HLSCC. There will be remarks by officials from the government, the local cricket association and Digicel.

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About Digicel

After nine and a half years of operation, Digicel Group Limited has 11.5 million customers across its 32 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific. The company is renowned for delivering best value, best service and best network.

Digicel is the lead sponsor of Caribbean, Central American and Pacific sports teams, including the Special Olympics teams throughout these regions. Digicel sponsors the West Indies cricket team and is also the title sponsor of the Digicel Caribbean Cup. In the Pacific, Digicel is the proud sponsor of several national rugby teams and also sponsors the Vanuatu cricket team.

Digicel also runs a host of community-based initiatives across its markets and has set up Digicel Foundations in Jamaica, Haiti and Papua New Guinea which focus on educational, cultural and social development programmes.

In 2004, Digicel developed Digicel Rising Stars – an annual talent show to support aspiring young music artists in the Caribbean. The show has spanned the Eastern Caribbean, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago ranking as one of the top-rated shows.

Digicel is incorporated in Bermuda and its markets comprise: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, El Salvador, Fiji, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Nauru, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and Vanuatu. Digicel also has coverage in St. Martin and St. Barts in the Caribbean.

Visit www.digicelgroup.com  for more information.