Monarch cricket centre ready for use

CHAKALISA DUBE
Staff Writer | Tuesday April 30, 2013 00:00

The centre, which was commissioned by the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) chairperson Solly Reikeletseng in October last year has been idle for months with overgrown grass. In fact, some of the children who were supposed to use the new state-of-the-art cricket facility had to turn to the other facility in China Town for their development programme.

BNSC sports development officer in Francistown, Gakologelwang Masheto confirmed the facility is now ready for use.  'The cricket facility is ready for use. The city council officials cleared the grass nearly a week ago.'The kids will begin using the cricket facility this weekend,' he said.

Other cricket centres at Phatsimo and Satellite Primary schools have been fully functional since late last year when the Re Ba Bona Ha Cricket development initiative was launched.Botswana Cricket Association (BCA) development officer, Clement Chipanga had previously said it was difficult for children near the idle facility to train regularly. told this publication:

'So far children under the Re ba bona ha programme at Phatogo, Monarch, Tati Town and Ntshe Primary Schools, who are closer to the Monarch cricket centre use the Francistown Cricket Club facility at China Town as an alternative.

'Of course not all of them make it to training in China Town because of the distance but the number of those attending sessions is still impressive though,' he said then.