The Botswana Cricket Association (BCA) will sponsor the nation’s Under 13s trip to South Africa for a friendly match against one of its schools as part of its continuous junior development programme today (Sunday).
The 13-member boys’ team consists mainly of government sponsored primary schools representatives from Gaborone and surrounding areas. The dominant schools are Philip Moshotle, Rasesa, Itumeleng, Oodi and Botsalano.
Strict supervision and close monitoring is attended to by their coach, Obert Musiyamhawje.
Thuso Motlogelwa, a student at Rasesa primary, a school in the Kgatleng, was named as captain of the team. According to him, the team has great potential and is confident of an easy victory. He says that they have been advised beforehand to have faith in their abilities and not to be intimidated by colour, height and alleged expertise.
It is the team’s first outing outside the country and to a country that has long been exposed to cricket as an official sport.
In Botswana, cricket only started gaining recognition amongst government schools in 2006, unlike in English medium schools, which have been listing it under its physical education schedules.
Information passed to The Sunday Standard was that the government schools team has been playing against those from English mediums and winning.
The BCA was recently commended for its numerous efforts to sensitize the closed Botswana society on a sport that has been perceived as a white men’s sport. Although they haven’t received fixtures for the match and are unaware of the school they will be playing against, coach Musiyamhawje insists that they are ready to tackle the challenge and put the Under 13s on the international map. The boys have one more game with the English mediums on Friday to help prepare them for the game against the South Africans.
The boys will be accompanied by their coach and two teachers from chosen schools with all expenses paid by the cricket association.
