Junior cricketers battle it out this winter
The 10th annual Eastern Junior Club Cricket Association’s (EJCCA) u-13, u-15, u-16, u-17 and u-19 Carnival City Cricket Festival is taking place at Willowmoore Park, the United Cricket Club in Brakpan and the Actonville Spurs Cricket Club, and started from July 2 to 6.
Junior cricket teams from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambique join the ECCA junior representative teams, in one of South Africa’s premier cricket development events.
According to Mark Kingham, chairman of EJCCA, the festival had, in 2004, only four participating teams, two from the region and two from Botswana.
This year, the 10th festival has grown exponentially to attract a total of 20 participating teams,” he said.
“Our mission has always been to provide junior cricketers from all sectors of the community with an event that allows them to develop and play cricket at the highest level.
“There can be no doubt that the festival has a positive impact on improving the standard of cricket at junior level; in past years, a number of players have successfully made the leap to the senior ranks at provincial and senior level and there is no reason why this trend should not continue into the future.”
Kingham believes, however, that part of this success is down to the emphasis on playing the game in good spirit during the festival.
“Our goals of cricket development, social integration, cultural understanding, life skills and improving relations with stakeholders has been realised and, as a result, the festival has experienced phenomenal growth,” he said.
Mduduzi Godfrey Madonsela, chairman of Carnival City corporate social investment, said: “We are proud of our long and ongoing association with this festival, and to be playing a meaningful role in cricket development in our region.
“We are especially delighted to be bringing cricket to our townships and identifying talent in young players.”
