Young cricketers shine

Fours and sixes were smashed, wickets tumbled and smiles abounded at the third annual Junior Cricket Festival hosted by Midrand Knights Cricket Club.

The weather was cool on the morning of 7 September but as the day went on, and for the duration of the next day, the sun shone brightly on a field full of cricket action at Marlboro Stadium.

“The invites go out for this particular tournament predominantly to children from previously disadvantaged communities,” said Knights chairperson, TK Chettiar.

Watch:

“Midrand Knights itself has 90 per cent of its players from previously disadvantaged communities, Ivory Park and Rabie Ridge. Rabie Ridge has been the largest population in terms of children who participate in our U9, U11, U13 and U15 leagues.”

Chettiar said the greatest problem youth in these areas faced was the consumption of alcohol and use of drugs, and this problem began with children from as young as 11 years old. “So what we try and do is get children to participate in sport and take them away from drugs and alcohol.”

The cricket tournament certainly was a success in promoting the game to the youngsters.

While plenty of fun was had on the field, other teams in attendance not playing at the time watched on from the sidelines or began their own mini-games in spaces around the stadium.

“The highlight of this for me was that in our first year of the tournament, we had a child playing for us who never held a bat before and never played the game before. We took him from the Rabie Ridge community.”

In his first tournament, the youngster scored a century.

“We are taking people off the streets and making them cricketers in the end.”

Related Article: 

https://midrandreporter.co.za/221936/club-to-host-cricket-festival/