Top class junior cricket festival
Carnival City Cricket Festival will take place at the Sahara Park Willowmore Cricket grounds in Benoni, United Cricket Club Brakpan and at the Actonville Spurs Cricket Club from July 2 to 6.
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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 will take place at the Sahara Park Willowmoore Cricket grounds in Benoni, United Cricket Club Brakpan and at the Actonville Spurs Cricket Club from July 2 to 6.
Junior cricket teams from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambique will join the ECCA junior representative teams in one of South Africa’s premier cricket development events.
According to Mark Kingham Chairman of the EJCCA, in 2004 the festival had only four participating teams, two from the region and two from Botswana. This year, the tenth Festival has grown to attract a total of 20 teams participating.
“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,” said Mark. “There can be no doubt that the festival has a positive impact on improving the standard of cricket at junior level, and 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.”
However, Mark believes that part of this success is due 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.”
Mduduzi Godfrey Madonsela, Chairperson of Carnival City Corporate Social Investment, said: “We at Carnival City 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.“