Nominations are now closed. The candidates are:-
President (2-year term): Rubin Deol, Amit Neghandi
Vice President (1-year term): Muhammad Belal Awan
Secretary (2-year term): Gurman Khurana
Treasurer (1-year term): Rakesh Negi
Directors at large: Nick Baxter, Dave Liverman, Tendai Mudunge, Osama Anwer, Gurpreet Monde, Ibnul Inan, Wahidur Rahman. Akash Deep Singh
Ballots will be e-mailed to voters at 12 pm, November 13, and voting will remain open until 12 pm November 15.
Candidates were asked to provide brief statements in support of their candidacy. To date the following have been received.
Nick Baxter:
I am standing as Director At Large for Cricket NL. I hope that the members will see me as an appropriate candidate to support. I have a solid understanding of Cricket and how a board should operate. I have also coached the provincial team as well as acting as a selector. I am an active and respected player who plays hard but in the spirit of the game.
During the past season I lost faith in the board with some of its decisions and processes causing me to resign my post as Provincial Coach. As such I vowed to become a board member. As a board member I would aim to ensure that correct procedures are followed and that the board be held accountable for their decisions. As a Selector and Coach I always looked to be fair and impartial which meant putting friendships and team loyalty aside for the better of Cricket NL. I can assure you this trend would continue as a board member.
Rubin Deol:
The reason I decided to volunteer my time for this position is because of my previous organizational and managerial experiences across 9 countries and education from UofT which gives me confidence. But my most important motivation is my vision for Cricket in Newfoundland which (if elected) I would like to implement in the next 2 years. This Vision has two objectives:
1. Making playing cricket more affordable in NL. Match fees for summer leagues need to come down. This can be achieved if we are very prudent with the funds at Cricket NL. We need to use these funds where the impact is maximum. Plus match officials (umpires/scorers) need to be compensated better and encouraged to improve their skills.
2. Achieving success at provincial level T20 league. For this to happen, firstly we need to make sure that a ‘true’ team of cricketers is there to represent Newfoundland in this tournament. This team won’t be a collection of players from this club or that club, but a cohesive unit. Team selection is key and it will be ‘Impartial’ and devoid of any influences under my leadership. Spending a few years playing in the league has given me insights and confidence that this objective is very achievable. I believe!
I look forward to your support not only in this election but most importantly beyond it as well. I have no financial interests in any cricketing activities on the side, nor am I eligible enough to play in our provincial team. I will have a neutral point of view in all things concerning cricket in NL. I think time has come for the next generation of cricket administrators to take over the reigns of Cricket NL and carry forward the legacy of all past Cricket NL officials. A great deal of good work has been done, let’s keep it going.
That being said, I am and will always be open to suggestions of the membership and would like to operate with a consensus as has been done by all past presidents.
Gurman Khurana:
I am standing for the position of Secretary on Cricket NL board. I have a proven track record of contributing towards improving Cricket in the province and hope that you feel that I am qualified for the position. Some of my achievements for Cricket NL have been:
1. Construction of concrete pitch with Notts sport turf regarded as the best pitch east of Ontario. The level of cricket in the summer league has improved leaps and bounds since the construction of the pitch.
2. Played a pivotal role in persuading Cricket Canada to host the first Eastern T20 interprovincial tournament in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2017. Took on the role of tournament chair to ensure the tournament was run smoothly.
3. Fundraised $35,000 dollars for Cricket NL in 2017. The amount is the most raised in any given year in the history of Cricket NL. The funds were used for infrastructure, reducing league fees, buying lawn tractors, buying high quality bats and protective gear for the provincial team, hosting ET20 and other operational needs.
4. To improve the quality of cricket, I introduced Lawn tractors to the Summer League for controlling the grass level.
5. Fund raise $2,000 in 2019 to reduce league fees for all teams participating in the Summer League.
If elected, I would like to contribute more towards our Provincial team success at the Eastern T20 tournament. Moreover, I would like to improve the playing conditions further by introducing sight screens and practice nets at RCAF.
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me at my email gurmank@gmail.com. I would like to wish all candidates best of luck for the upcoming elections.
Dave Liverman:
I am standing as Director At Large for Cricket NL, and hope that the members consider my candidacy worthy of support. I have been a member of the board since the creation of the organization, seeing as president, treasurer, secretary and past president, so I feel I have a solid understanding of the operations of the organization and can provide a degree of continuity to the organization. I currently maintain the web site, update social media, coordinate umpire training and have been part of indoor and outdoor league committees. I have also coached and managed the provincial team as well as acting as a selector. Outside of Cricket NL, I am a director of the Atlantic Canada umpires association, Vice-President of Cricket Canada, director of officials with Newfoundland Soccer, and a national referee instructor. I am retired, so as a board member can be relied on to put the work in that we need to advance cricket in the province.
Cricket NL has had great success in the last ten years but faces significant challenges. I believe the next board needs to focus on player development through the HP programme, expanding membership at all levels, but particularly junior and female members, and improving infrastructure, in particular indoor practice facilities
Muhammad Belal Awan:
I am presenting my plans to execute as Vice President of Cricket NL if elected:
– Played RDCA Rawalpindi District Cricket Association league cricket in years 2000 to 2003 and in that event, I got a chance to practice and play cricket with all big names like Shoaib Akhter, Naveed Latif, Misbahul Huq and Muhammad Waseem.
– Served as a cricket commentator (English) in regional, recreational and charity cricket tournaments
– Completed European Cricket Council (ECC) umpiring course from Amsterdam, The Netherlands
– Played from Jinnah Amsterdam Cricket Club in The Netherlands in 2013-14
– Played T20, Super6 tournaments in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2011-13 & 2016-17
The above is a glimpse of my abilities that I feel privileged to have been nominated for Vice President position. Even though challenging, I have really enjoyed my time as part of provincial umpiring panel as well and now I see myself as a part of the decision making team to make Cricket Newfoundland & Labrador a vibrant and sustainable organization that boasts enviable talent across all administrative and operational spheres.
– I believe we will succeed to be the best provincial team in the Atlantic Canada in first phase by incorporating sound and harmonious cricketing relations among all playing teams by following the set standards and cricketing laws prevailing at this level.
– As A matter of fact, I am an ISO certified professional so I plan to write the Newfoundland & Labrador Cricket policies to address all the provincial level needs in line of ICC polices and cricketing laws by presenting the agreed Standard Operating Procedures to avoid unaddressed conflicts and deadlocks.
– I would attempt to be the initiator of bringing massive changes to introduce cricket at grass-root level and actively engage schools and colleges for both boys and girls to play recreational cricket and then motivating the appropriate talent to form inter school cricket infrastructure.
– I also plan to collaborate with PEI & New Bruinswuck cricket clubs to facilitate the arrangements of a triangular cricket series in St. John’s on frequently basis where I realize the cost will be a discussable topic for which I plan to attract local businesses as sponsoring stakeholders.
Gurpreet Monde
Past Cricketing Experience:
For past many years I am active member of Cricket NL. My activities includes Playing Cricket at Club (RC) level, Providing my Umpiring Services, representing Club(RC) as Club Director, and most recently serving as Secretary in Active Board of Cricket NL.
Besides holding multiple positions in various capacities, I was also involved in numerous discussions, activities related to raising the level of Cricket in the province.
Professional Experience:
I work as Senior Advisor (e2e National Network Performance) with Bell Mobility. I undertake numerous responsibilities such as to develop medium to long term plan to monitor the National Network Performance in general, lead the e2e development/delivery of new insights of network data etc.
With my continuous engagement in Cricket NL from past few years, I came across number of wish list items along with providing best Cricketing Experience in Upcoming Atlantic T20 tournament in NL that need to be delivered to raise the bar of Cricket in NL.
Leveraging my learning from past engagements in Cricket and Professional Experience, I believe I would prove a strong fit in newly To Be Elected board hence Nominate myself.
Tendai Mudunge:
Cricket has always been very close to my heart since the very first time I got exposed to the game back in 2002; as a member on the board I would be committed in helping grow the interest in the game in the province and in helping to provide more opportunities for everyone to play the game in the right spirit.
Rakesh Negi:
I have held various leadership positions with Cricket NL such as President, vice president, provincial team captain. In addition, I am currently working as a Treasurer for Cricket NL.
I am a Chartered Professional Accountant. I have significant experience with financial reporting and analysis, budget forecasting, variance analysis, internal control. In my various roles, I have led the communication with stakeholders and effectively carried out the mandate established by the board.
I also wanted to take this opportunity and wish luck to all the other candidates.
Amit Neghandi
I hereby put forward my nomination for the President of Cricket NL position and seek your support in leading the organization over the next two years. I have been an active member of Cricket NL for the past 3 years both as a player as well as a board member. Over these years, I have witnessed the growth of cricket in our Province, both in terms of the number of active players as well as the improved quality of infrastructure & organization, thanks to the dedication of our previous Cricket NL members. I also believe there is significant room for improvement.
If elected, I would lead Cricket NL towards fulfilling these three goals:
1) Fundraising: To improve and sustain cricket in NL, having sufficient funds is extremely vital. I would aggressively focus on seeking out new sponsorships for Cricket NL as well as for clubs. I would also focus on organizing regular fundraisers via community activities and mutually beneficial partnerships with local businesses. Apart from the basic housekeeping activities of maintaining the pitch, repairing the nets, etc; any additional funds can also be utilized for the betterment of cricket in the province such as better pay for umpires and investing in advanced cricket infrastructure (umpiring cameras, electronic scoreboards, boundary markers, new kit). Funds will also allow us to train and send our best players as a part of our provincial team to bring home the cup!
2) Indoor cricket infrastructure: Currently, we do not have an indoor cricket facility in the province. Our players do not get sufficient opportunities to practice or play on a regular basis through the year. At the same time, the reality of cricket in Newfoundland is that the sport is not big enough in terms of funds & numbers to sustain such a standalone facility but it can be possible via partnerships. I would work towards partnerships with local organization/s that have unused space for such a facility to operate all year round without breaking the bank. An indoor cricket facility would heavily promote the growth of cricket in the province, including among the local non-cricket playing general public. It will help nurture our players to excel at inter-provincial and national levels. As President of Cricket NL, I will strive towards achieving this vision.
3) Create more playing opportunities: I strongly believe that the overall quality of cricket played in NL is a reflection of the frequency of games played by the teams and more experienced teams generally fare better. I would promote a healthy competition amongst the clubs and encourage creation of more clubs. More games would mean more playing opportunities, more experience, improved players’ skills and better performances overall. As evidenced in this year’s summer league, new teams can provide a platform to fresh talent which otherwise may have been hidden. Based on the interest and logistics, one of my prime goals for the next year would be, in addition to the annual weekend summer league, creation of a mid-week hard-ball league played during weekday evenings through the summer. This will provide additional playing opportunities and improve the competitiveness of the sport in the province.
I believe that fulfilling the three goals above will significantly improve the standard of cricket in the province. Good training facilities, more opportunities to play and nurturing our vast talent pool will eventually culminate in NL bringing home the inter-provincial championship!
I have been a resident of Newfoundland for the past 10 years, settled with work & family with no plans to move. Like for many of our members, cricket is a childhood passion that I grew up playing. It is an absolute privilege to be able to play cricket in our province and we have made great strides in setting up the infrastructure here. The cricket-playing population is steadily growing in NL and there will be a lot of responsibility on Cricket NL to fulfill their expectations of conducting cricket activities smoothly. If given an opportunity, I am confident of leading this organization to fulfill these expectations. I am a healthcare professional (pharmacist) practicing in St.John’s Metro area and a part-time entrepreneur. I have significant managerial experience as part of my job and every day involves managing different resources for the best possible outcomes. I believe my experience will be an asset for Cricket NL and I humbly seek your support.
Akash Deep Singh
I’m an undergraduate student in MUN who has been an active participant in cricket ever since I came here. I served in the outgoing cricket NL executive as well and was actively involved in arranging the summer league and other activities of Cricket NL. I am standing as Director at Large. I wish to continue the same contribution towards Cricket NL. With hard work and collective team work, We can bring success and glory to our province.
