23 Jun 2013

The Botswana Cricket Association (BCA) northern regional coordinator, Clement Chipanga has said cricket is moving in the right direction although a lot has to be done to increase the number of participants in the sport.

BCA in collaboration with Botswana Primary School Sports Association (BOPSSA) hosted an under-13 talent identification games in Francistown on June 23 where a total of 60 primary school students from four clusters around Francistown took part in this talent identification process.

Chipanga said their talent search is not focusing on certain skills but rather they are looking for a potential all rounder cricket player.

“Parental support and participation is key in the growth and development of cricket as a sport in Botswana, as such we have been visiting schools and sensitizing people about HIV and AIDS through cricket,” he said.

Chipanga lamented  lack of continuity in the sport, saying cricket is currently not available in junior secondary schools, except for a few private ones and as a result most students move to other sporting codes.

"Through these games, we have identified two players who will join the national under-19 squad while another one will join the U -15 national team".

BOPSSA northeast cricket coordinator,France Obakeng said his main focus is identifying and selecting players who will represent Francistown at a regional level.

Obakeng said as a new sporting code, they are experiencing a low turnout of students enrolling in cricket because most students prefer football and netball.

He further said shortage of skilled trainers and playing grounds is a major concern in the growth of the sport

To address some of their challenges, Obakeng said he has created a playing court where he trains his team. ENDS