Hillfox Action Arena promoting youth cricket with indoor Easter tournament

Latching on to a sport comes from the game time at a young age.

Hillfox Action Arena kept budding cricketers active this holiday with a taste of the indoor game. The arena roped in The Ultimate Cricket Academy to give outdoor cricket players a chance to experience the pace and precision of the indoor world. Roughly 20 players aged between seven and 12 took part in the four-day Easter tournament that served to transfer the love of cricket indoors.

Also read: Central Gauteng Lions’ Blind cricketers host North West Dragons for Diadora Jozi Cup warm-up

Operating their academy out of Bryanston Parallel Medium School, coaches Shaun Davids and Avon Klassen helped to break down the divide between the two formats. Indoor cricket is often shunned by purists as an outlier but has the potential to be a valuable niche in the ever-evolving cricket landscape. The Easter holiday programme forms part of Hillfox’s determination to elevate their junior cricket back to the levels of years gone by.

The Ultimate Cricket Academy focus on foundation phase age groups and run several mini-cricket programmes around the northern suburbs. Coach Shaun spoke about his appreciation for the indoor format as it gives players more time at the crease and is a great way to create a space where children can fall in love with the gentleman’s game. Conventional formats can be time-consuming but an eight-player, 16-over innings is a balanced stepping stone for players and parents alike.

Also read: Young guns fire on all cylinders as Roodepoort Cricket Club defeat local rivals

Hillfox’s Eugene Greib was there to educate the players on the slight tweaks in rules.

“This game sharpens cat-like reflex, increases fitness and promotes communication when running between the wicket. Games are tight and there is always a pressure element,” said Eugene.

“There is no reason indoor and outdoor cricket can’t work together,” he added. Part of Hillfox’s long-term ambition is to have school teams play at the arena on Friday nights or weekends.

Action throughout the Easter tournament week was tight as almost every friendly slogathon went to a final intense over. Hoping to expand the programme, Shaun noted, “Throughout the week, players would have bowled more balls, faced more deliveries and had more pressure situations than regular matches outdoors. This is a great way to give players more opportunities”.