Cricket takes off in Phikwe and Mmadinare

CALISTUS KOLANTSHO
Correspondent | Monday August 16, 2010 00:00

 

Speaking to Monitor Sport, Botswana Cricket Association (BCA) Coordinator for Selebi-Phikwe and Mmadinare, Taurai Chakanesa, says the programme is meant to introduce the sport to pupils going to government primary schools.

That will give them a chance to play the sport that most people think is for the elite members of the society.'BCA held a workshop with government primary school teachers for both Mmadinare and Selebi-Phikwe. Twenty-seven schools were represented at the workshop that was held in June here. In July the programme started,' he says.

Chakanesa says the training is being conducted at Makhubu Cricket club in Selebi-Phikwe on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He also added that children from English medium primary schools are also welcome to take part.

He said the same programme has been introduced in Ngamiland, Gantsi, Gaborone, South-East and Francistown, adding that their intention is to spread their wings across the country.

He said every pupil in the country must be given a chance to play cricket because the BCA wants to have a pool of talented players from where the national team can be selected. He says that the response has been positive since the programme was introduced as indicated by the numbers.

He noted that on the first day of training, 150 pupils attended and the number increased to more than 250.Chakanesa believes that cricket will come next in popularity after football and netball. He says the equipment that is used in the sport is expensive but BCA has bought the necessary tools for the programme.

'One of the reasons that make people think cricket is for the elite is the cost of the equipment. The association is trying hard to make sure that the programme is not hampered by lack of equipment,' Chakanesa observes.

He promised that when the schools open, BCA will hand over cricket equipment to various primary schools in Selebi-Phikwe and Mmadinare. He pointed out that Gaborone schools have been benefiting alone from BCA initiatives and it is time others got a piece of the cake.  Chakanesa says it is time Botswana had Batswana in the national team and it is through these kind of programmes that such dreams can be realised.

He mentioned that Kenya and Zimbabwe have indigenous people playing in their national teams and it is not impossible for that to happen here.

'Almost everyone in the Kenyan team is black and in Zimbabwe, for the past six years, black players have been coming up well. BCA is focusing on children aged 11 years and below because we want to catch them when they are still fresh,' he says.

Chakanesa says the programme has not reached the high schools because they are under staffed. Meanwhile, Chakanesa mentioned that the Under-13 Boys and girls national teams will be leaving for the Zone 6 tournament in Namibia some time this month.