GSL, a stroke in the right direction

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By John Ramsingh in the stands

The moment when South African Dwaine Pretorius, representing the Guyana Amazon Warriors, bowled to Pakistani Mirza Baig of Lahore Qalandars; it signaled the start of something great in the world of T20 franchise cricket.

The first ever Global Super League (GSLT20), a product of the people of Guyana, may be seen as just another white ball tournament but for the inaugural five teams and the anticipating cricketing world it is master stroke.

A second invitation was not needed for representative teams from the best T20 leagues around the world to play a maximum of five matches at Providence with a shot at US$1M. And with the first ball set for 7 PM Guyana time, I dragged my wife and our 3-year old daughter, Alyssa to be part of history.

We took our complimentary passes and entered through the northern turnstile. Staff of tournament sponsors welcomed us warmly with souvenirs and smiles. Then there was a brief opening ceremony on the field of play with four of the five participating teams while Victoria were excused as they were scheduled to arrive in Guyana a few hours later.

It was good to see the ‘Super Cat’, Sir Clive Lloyd on field alongside ExxonMobil’s Alistair Routledge and President of Guyana Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali who all spoke to the teams followed by five minutes of spectacular fireworks ahead of the first ball.

I was 20 rows back at cow-corner, if a right handed batter was facing the Media Centre, and the view was superb. The outfield looked military green and seemed dry  and hard. I knew we were in for a treat.

Pretorius and the rest of the Guyana Amazon Warriors were in town just seven weeks before the start of the GSL, for the Caribbean Premier League, and showed their knowledge of the venue and their experience of defending their sacred hunting ground.

It was a low-scoring but it was a thriller. For me it is the start of the next big thing in world cricket.

Pepperpot and bread is Guyana’s Christmas gift to the world but the Global Super League is not that far behind.

The last time I viewed a full match from the stands was in 2017 when West Indies played Pakistan at Providence
It was a night to remember for Alyssa and I. (Newsroom photo)

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Christopher Harry

Lead Videographer
christopherharry@flsport.gy

I am a left arm seamer from Skeldon, Berbice. Despite my fierce and highly competitive spirit on the cricket field I am also a caring, trustworthy and warm person.

I share a great bond with my family and have a small circle of friends.

It is my desire to become an international cricketer. I have been playing the beautiful game since the age of eight (8) years old. In my free time I enjoy working out at the gym and training on the field with other cricketers and listening to music.

I am currently employed by FL Sport as a Videographer. The experience has been nothing short of great. It is my desire to continue to play my role as we keep the spotlight on our sportsmen and women.

As the lead videographer, I encourage you to start your journey to become part of team FL Sport where we literally see the difference we are making.

To our athletes and fans, I am looking forward to seeing you through our lenses and on the big screen. Keep your heads high.

Seon Bovell

Statistician
seonbovell@flsport.gy

I am an enthusiastic, self-motivated, reliable, responsible and hard working person. I am a mature team worker and adaptable to all challenging situations. I am able to work well both in a team environment as well as using my own initiative. I am able to work well under pressure and adhere to strict deadlines.

These qualities have made me a perfect fit for Team FL Sport which I joined formally in January 2023 as a Statistician.

I have been a Scorer for longer than I can remember, which dates back to before I even started falling in love with the game of cricket, some 20+ years ago. I would go to cricket matches to watch and observe. When asked if I wanted to play I would always decline and say I will keep the score.

Gradually I got good at it and continued, even after I started playing cricket I would keep the score whilst on the field. So basically it’s been a part of me from the inception. But of late I’ve come to realize how rewarding and exciting being a Statistician/Scorer can be. I got to meet interesting and famous persons from all walks of life, people who love the game as equally as me which makes me feel like I’m living the dream I always wanted, which is working and doing something I love and am very passionate about.

My role as a Statistician/Scorer is basically to analyze the game, keep and dig up facts and figures for the rest of the team so we can feed the world audience with accurate and interesting details.

Being part of the FL Sport team is my escape from the rest of the world. They have become my family and I am overjoyed to be a part of it.

Sunil Joshua Ramlall

Producer/ Content Specialist
sunilramlall@flsport.gy

I consider myself the livewire of FL Sport.

I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Marketing for which I have a passion. Despite growing up in the city of Georgetown, I still consider myself humble simply because I was raised in the simplest way.

Ever since school days, I found myself to be gritty and determined. I aim to continue grasping as much knowledge as possible and living my life to the fullest. Life is not the same for everyone, so remember to do good, and good will come to you.

I have been fascinated with cricket from a young age, but as I grew, I was exposed to other sporting disciplines, and it all started there for me. I see the need for exposure for our athletes, and that drive has been transferred into this journey I’m currently on.

I’ve always had a passion for media production so when the opportunity came up for me to join the FL Sport family, I quickly pounced on it. FL Sport aims to redefine sport broadcasting in Guyana, and we have high hopes to take it internationally.

What makes FL Sport special is that we are a well-oiled unit and have that family bond that I didn’t find elsewhere. In Guyana, and more so in the Caribbean, we see the need for a body to give our sportsmen and women the proper coverage and mileage they work so hard to showcase. Our platform aims to do just that and more for all sports disciplines in and around the region.

Being a producer and content specialist, my role is pretty straight forward. I am responsible for creating and broadcasting all content on social media, whether it be posters, infographics, videos, or pictures, making it readily available at your fingertips. My curiosity to know, the work ethics that I show, and the ability to make the production fun and lively allow me to exercise that freedom as to how and what goes out on your screens. My team backs me one hundred percent to get the job done correctly, and it is one of the things I love about being a part of FL Sport. Everything is so much better when you know there are people who want you to win every time.

I aspire to ensure FL Sport grows to its full potential and more. One of the most impressive things we have achieved is viewership in the thousands. At its peak, viewership hits about twenty to thirty thousand on various platforms. I will be committed to maintaining this as well as breaking even more records in the region. Stay logged on.

Ronaldo McGarrell

Producer and Chief Statistician
ronaldomcgarrell@flsport.gy

Producer and Chief Statistician

I am a medical doctor who has a love for sports, mathematics and science. Born and raised on the East Coast of Demerara I am a graduate of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Degree program at the University of Guyana. I am popularly called “Doc”.

I was introduced to FL Sport by my colleague and friend, Sunil Ramlall in April 2022 then I was invited to join. My first task was that of an electronic scorer but gradually made my way up the ranks becoming a versatile member of the team in just a few months. I have mastered V-Mix, switching, rigging and repacking. Now I am either behind a camera, managing the live output or commentating on the action.

I describe myself as somewhat of a perfectionist. I believe this quality and my critical thinking skills complement my role as both an analyst and a statistician. I can state confidently that I am one of the reasons FL Sport can bring you accurate stats during live coverage.

Apart from medicine and sports, I am an experienced biology, chemistry and mathematics teacher at both the CSEC and CAPE levels. I volunteer my spare time during the school holidays to help students who have difficulties in the sciences and mathematics.

My ultimate goal is to further my studies in Sports Medicine with the hope of developing sport in Guyana and around the Caribbean.

Wow!

John Ramsingh

Chief Executive Officer
ceo@flsport.gy

When it comes to cricket production, I have done it all.

Growing up in William street Campbellville, I was surrounded by sports especially football and cricket which were played very competitively on the actual street by fathers, uncles, cousins, brothers and neighbours. However, my passion was ignited when I watched my first Test series on television. It was over the Christmas holidays in 1992 and it was truly a treat when West Indies toured Australia. Brian Lara converted his maiden Test century to 277, Junior Murray was acrobatic behind the stumps in his debut series and the West Indian fast bowlers were lethal.

Another high point of the series was seeing a guy that was so close to us on television. Carl Hooper, who was living a stone’s throw away from me, had an impact in the series and all 14 persons that were crammed into the small living room watching the only television set in the street cheered for every wicket and run scored by who was described as ‘our very own.’

I then had my first real life experience watching an international cricket match in a packed Bourda Oval on April 3, 1993 when West Indies and Pakistan played a series deciding fifth and final ODI. From then, I knew I wanted to be in cricket.

I attended The Bishops’ High School where my daily lunch breaks were filled with cricket. I couldn’t get enough so I joined Demerara Cricket Club in 1996 to play youth cricket but had to take a break for external exams. I was then enrolled at the University of Guyana where I played for my faculty. At the same time I gained employment at the only radio station in Guyana and began sending match reports for the local sport news. It started as a hobby then eventually I was offered to join the commentary panel for a series of club matches which I embraced in 2002. Mind you, I was employed as a Sales Representative selling advertisements. I did that until 2015 when I opened Freelancer Advertising Agency.

On air, I started as a rookie analyst then was offered the role of assistant Producer. In 2003, I got a break to call Regional matches and my first assignment was alongside the Legend, Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira. I got close to Barry Wilkinson and Andrew Mason and together we Produced commentary for Regional matches in Guyana for a long time. Mason then invited me to join the team for a series in Trinidad and Tobago but my experience was not enough to get me on air. I was actually the statistician who was using a laptop to give the presenters more information. After three years in the scorer’s seat, I got my chance to call the action. In 2019, I became the first Guyanese commentator to commentate on a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) final then a few months later I was appointed lead commentator for West Indies Women vs India Women at Providence where matches were live streamed.

I was appointed the first ever Media Officer for West Indies Over-50s and the first assignment was the Masters World Cup in South Africa in March 2020. Then Covid-19 came and stopped the world briefly.

It was during that quiet period that I put together FL Sport to give Guyanese athletes the recognition they deserve. While managing the company, I remained in the commentator’s seat wearing the cap of Executive Producer.

Along the way, I worked as Media Centre Officer for the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2018 with the women’s World T20 and in 2022 with the Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup.

From 2016 to 2018 I was the Sport Editor of the Guyana Times and Evening News Sport. Simultaneously, from 2016 to 2019 I was also the Media Centre Officer of the Guyana Amazon Warriors in CPL.

It is a pleasure to travel and call the beautiful game which has given everything in life for which I am thankful. The almighty has also blessed me with two children; Jon Apollo and Alyssa Joni.