Stars of tomorrow get to shine on festival stage

JUNIOR cricket action will be in full flow as the annual T5 Cricket Festival is held at Stirling Primary School today and tomorrow.

The festival is hosted by the Stirling Cricket Academy and sees players from the ages of U9, U10, U11 and U12 take part in the twoday event.

This is the second showing of the festival after its inaugural edition last year and will see 126 kids playing against each other in various matches.

“The aim is to promote junior cricket in this region,” said organiser Mark Rogers.

“Last year was the first year of the event and we had just under 60 boys in the U9 and U10 age groups. This year we have expanded the event and have included an U11 and U12 division to the event.

“Players will either be playing for their school teams, with some full teams having entered, or as part of a mixed team after entering as an individual, so as not to leave anyone out if a full school team was not able to be entered.

“Each player pays a R395 entry fee but the event is not-for-gain.

“The Stirling Cricket Academy does benefit from it, but we need academies like this if cricket in our region is to improve,” he said.

With the annual age group cricket weeks getting under way across the country this week, this is a great opportunity for players still too young to be considered for the youngest team, the Border U13s, and players who would like to make those teams in the future can use the festival to improve on their skills and general play.

“Each team will bat for five overs each and a match should take about 40 minutes to complete.

“We have many of the top age group cricketers in the region participating but the focus is on enjoying cricket,” admitted Rogers. “There will be a winner in each age group and many prizes.

“We will also be selecting an U10 and an U12 festival team to play a Stirling Invitation Team on the first Saturday of next year’s school term, so there’s much to play for.”

The action is set to get under way today from 8am to 4.30pm and tomorrow from 8am to 5.15pm, with the prize-giving thereafter.

Five fields in total will be used for the festival – four at the primary school and one at the high school and anyone interested in checkingout the stars of tomorrow can come and see the kids in action.

“The T5 Cricket Festival is sponsored by Work Africa and Jumbo Clothing Company and we have a few other businesses that have also assisted with various forms of sponsorship including Exclusively Food, Nicks Super Spar and 1 Stop Lifemed,” said Rogers.

“Without the sponsors this event could not happen.”