Enter your school for a shot at facing the Proteas
THE fifth edition of the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour is set to kick off this summer and will see the Proteas being pitted against three KFC Mini-Cricket teams across the country.
In the 2016/17 season the three all-star KFC Mini-Cricket assistant coaches, Graeme Smith, Neil McKenzie and Mfuneko Ngam, led the schools that won opportunities to play against the Proteas to a 2-2 series draw.
Former Proteas captain Graeme Smith believes that this year the KFC Mini-Cricket team will build on the success of the previous season in getting one up on the Proteas. “In the previous instalment of the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour, the team closed out a tightly contested match and managed to draw the series,” said Smith.
Proteas batting all-rounder, Farhaan Behardien, hinted that there’s great excitement within the Proteas camp for yet another opportunity to play against the KFC Mini-Cricket team.
“With every KFC MiniCricket Kids vs Proteas Tour, there has been great improvement on some of the talent on display. This really pays homage to the KFC Mini-Cricket programme as an inspirational grassroot initiative,” said Behardien.
KFC Mini-Cricket has grown into one of the leading grassroot programmes in South Africa. In the previous season, the programme saw a staggering 120 000 kids from over 5078 schools across South Africa taking part in over 22 000 cricket matches in the 2016/17 season.
KFC public affairs director, Thabisa Mkhwanazi, said, “Every season has been bigger and better than the previous, and this time around it won’t be any different. With the launch of the fifth season of the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour, we encourage teams to enter and stand a chance to play against our cricketing heroes.”
Cricket South Africa’s general manager for cricket, Corrie van Zyl, explained that the value of KFC Mini-Cricket lies in the programme being the first taste of organised cricket that aspirant young boys and girls are introduced to. “In their journey of learning the disciplines of cricket, the kids develop self-confidence and learn about the values of building friendships,” added Van Zyl.
“KFC continues to be a supporter of cricket in South Africa and we remain fully committed to giving kids, coaches and all involved the opportunity to develop and upskill themselves through the KFC Mini-Cricket programme and the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour,” he concluded.
KFC runs a nationwide competition to select their teams whereby the three entering schools will be drawn and will be given the chance to pit their KFC Mini-Cricket teams against the mighty Proteas.
Three spots are up for grabs. Dial *120*7535# or visit www. kfcminicricket.co.za to enter. The winners will be rewarded with a prize handover, a training session and a game against the Proteas, all assisted by one of the three KFC Mini-Cricket coaches, Graeme Smith, Neil McKenzie and Mfuneko Ngam.
KFC Mini-Cricket is the largest grassroots development sports programme in South Africa and has over 120 000 children from over 5078 schools being coached by 9268 volunteers.