For the past three months, the Botswana Cricket Association (BCA) has taken an initiative of bringing more girls to cricket by conducting the sessions with the girls from other place, especially in Francistown.
The current coach for the Under 19 girls team, Innocent Chando, is the one who has been conducting such sessions. Girls from Senior Secondary schools, such as Mater Spei College and Selepa, have been attending these sessions and they are showing that they are potential players. The girls are being trained in all the aspects of the sport like bowling, batting, fielding and wicket keeping and most of them are learning fast. Since the girls started sessions some of them were selected to play in the six-a-side tournament that was held at the Botswana Cricket Oval and also seven of them have been selected in the current squad for the upcoming high performance camp in July. The camp will be held in preperation for the annual four nations tournament that is always hosted by Botswana Cricket.
This will make the girls to have more intense sessions where they will learn more skills and get to know and learn about each other for the duration of the camp. Most of the girls have shown some good batting skills. The initiative has brought more girls from the area and are knocking on the national team doors.
Currently the national team coach is conducting regular coaching sessions to also identify and nurture talent that will be beneficial for the country in the future. Meanwhile last week, BCA in conjunction with A & S Enterprises, held the first primary schools cricket carnival in Lobatse.
Participating schools were, St. Theresa Primary School, Peleng West Primary School, Ipeleng Primary School, New Look Primary School and Hill Primary School. Pitikwe primary school pulled out at the eleventh hour.
The Venue for the carnival was the Cricket Ground at the Lobatse Sports Complex. Carnival format was that of 10 over Pair’s cricket. Teams were split into two groups of 3 and 2, respectively.
Group A, included New Look Primary School, Hill Primary School and Peleng West Primary School whilst Group B comprised St Theresa and Ipeleng Primary School. New Look Primary school topped its group after the group matches and Ipeleng Primary School won their group match against St Theresa to ensure that they play second placed Peleng west from the other group in the Semi- final.
New-Look proved too strong for St. Theresa Primary School ensuring a final berth against Peleng West Primary School who managed to win their semi-final against Ipeleng Primary School. With the dawn setting on the scenic ground, the final proved a tense affair with Peleng West Primary School giving New Look a run for their money. Ultimately New Look Primary School triumphed much to the delight of their coach Mr Tshweneetsile.
