Howzat for a record attempt?
It was during December, last year, when Kurtis Thomson, a Grade 11 pupil at St Dunstan’s College, had a brainwave to raise funds for his beloved Benoni Tigers Action Cricket team to go on a nationwide tour, in 2015.
The youngster conjured up the idea of getting his team into the world record books with an audacious attempt to set a new Guinness World for the longest marathon playing indoor cricket.
This idea is set to become a reality following the successful application and approval by Guinness World Records of the attempt, on April 30, at the Benoni Action Arena.
In 2015, eight of the players will be in matric and it is the team management’s intention to raise R200 000 to take them on a nationwide “farewell” tour, to play against other provincial teams in what would be a fitting send-off for the boys.
The Benoni Tigers have been playing together since 2006, when they were in the u-11 age group, and have progressed to the point where they are now playing in the men’s A-League at the Benoni Action Arena.
They did the town proud when they won gold in the u-18 age group, at the recent 2014 South African Indoor Cricket Inter-provincial Tournament, in Centurion, where nine provinces participated.
This was accomplished even though only three of their players are 17 years old, with the remaining five players being only 16 years old.
Four of the team’s players represented South Africa at the Junior World Series Tournament in 2012, while three of the boys were selected at the recent inter-provincials, to don the green and gold in the 2014 u-18 South African team.
The record attempt and event will be a first in the world, let alone South Africa, as no record currently exists and, in order to qualify, two teams will need to play indoor cricket continuously for more than 24 hours, in strict accordance with the current indoor cricket rules, with only five minutes rest every hour.
Recording of the attempt is rather stringent, with full video recordings, photographs and independent witnesses required.
Alan Thompson, rector at St Dunstan’s College, will be one of the independent witnesses, and the organisers are seeking others of similar standing within the community.
Medical doctors will be present throughout the event, and the organisers are in discussion with various celebrities to be a part of this attempt on a night where loads of entertainment will be provided.
Individual celebrities will be named in the Benoni City Times edition of Friday, June 6.
This exciting event will take place on Saturday, September 20, into Sunday, September 21.
Elrich and Mariette van de Venter, both international indoor umpires, who umpired at the 2013 Masters Internationals, will officiate.
Sponsors are needed to make the dream of putting the sport and Benoni on the international map.
Extra funds raised over and above the initial target will be donated to charity (a separate bank account will be opened and will be audited and transparent).
To get the ball rolling, the Tigers will take on a Springbok Action Cricket Invitational Team in a warm-up match, at the Benoni Action Arena, on Thursday, June 5, at 7.40pm.
All interested parties are invited to come on down to the arena to support the boys in the build-up to the big event in September.
Any individual/company who would like to be associated with the record attempt can contact organiser Craig Thomson on 082 569 1148 or 011 849 2279.
