Criiios programme in limelight in Australia
MBABANE – The Eswatini Cricket Association (ECA) is making impeccable strides in providing a brighter future for cricketers in the country.
The introduced Criiios programme had a staggering start, as funding for each of the eight sessions was very bleak. However with determination the programme facilitators are making ends meet for the junior cricketers to have practice equipment and the availability of coaches. Recently the programme had its very first Criiio session at Osabeni Primary School, where one of the young students’ batting attracted many comments on the ECA Facebook page. Further, one Kgwahla Lucas Mokgomogane from South Africa (SA), opted to post the image on the Africa Cricket Development Facebook page.
Mokgomogane mentioned that previously they enrolled coaches from Eswatini in online coaching courses, that were offered by Big G Australia, that intended to assist development programmes. He said it was unfortunate to learn that the project was abandoned by its initiators, hence he decided to create a platform that would showcase grass root programmes the likes of Criiios.
“I posted the picture of the young man from Eswatini and it had positive feedbacks as people of interest engaged the picture. The picture was also shared to an Australian platform called ‘Glewed on Cricket’,” Mokgomogane said.
Improve
He also said with the amount of effort being put to improve the sport, such grass root programmes would be imperative in the futures of the young cricketers. Mokgomogane who is based in SA, is a Board Member of the Provincial Union of Limpopo Impalas Cricket, as well as running development programmes in his district. He highlighted that one of the schools, Kopanong Primary had been nominated as the Sports Development School of the year. He further mentioned that his whole objective was to inspire rural based players and teams with no facilities. He finally, advised the Criiios and ECA Operations Officer, Mandla Dlamini that development should not be hampered by the lack of facilities. Rather they should acquire portable equipment as he has done for the development programmes he is overlooking.
In agreement was Mandla Dlamini who emphasised on the importance of having beginner’s cricket equipment and how the programme is positive in building the numbers of participants in the sport. With their set target of 35 000, Operations Officer, Dlamini was happy mentioning that the target will surely be reached come September of this year. He also expressed excitement that their efforts were beginning to be recognised internationally.