Stirling show by young guns

The popular annual Stirling Cricket Festival was a hit again when it was held last week at Stirling Primary School from Wednesday to Friday.

Close to 200 budding young cricket talents took part in the three days of fun-filled action, as teams went all out for the win.

In the U9 division, the Knights beat the Strikers in the final game of the tournament, while in the U11 category it was the Panthers who were too strong for the Scorpions in the final game.

The U13 division was then won by the Hurricanes team who beat the Patriots in the tournament’s grand finale.

“There were prizes for the best batsman and runners-up in each age category plus best bowler and runner-up per category,” said event organiser Mark Rogers.

“Teams first to third won prizes plus there were lucky draw prizes.

“Lucky winners from the qualifying participants at the dunk tank, the target bowling, the target batting and catching activities won prizes from a Masuri Helmet, DP Wheelie Bag, Kookaburra Cricket Shoes to a DP bat.”

Border senior team captain and former SA U19 cricketer Jason Niemand was at the prize-giving to hand out the prizes and to show the youngsters where hard work can get you.

Following the end of the tournament on Friday two Colts teams were picked in the U11 and U13 divisions of the best players from the tournament.

A Festival XI of the next best players was then picked to take on the U11 Colts team and a Bokkies XI was picked from players from the Northern Provinces who had entered two teams in the tournament, to take on the U13 Colts, both in 40-over matches.

Both games were played on Saturday and saw the U11 Colts emerge victorious over the Festival team and the Bokkies defeat the U13 Colts.

“This increasingly popular tournament is largely thanks to the generosity of Jumbo Clothing Company, Work Africa, Stirling Primary, Stirling Cricket Academy and a team of organisers from Work Africa, Stirling Cricket Academy and Stirling Primary,” added Rogers.

We now look to the 2019 edition to see if the tournament will continue to grow.