Former Zimbabwe Cricket Captain, Hamilton Masakadza, signing autographs at a yesteryear Stragglers cricket week event
Staff Writer
HARARE-The Stanbic Bank-sponsored premier grassroots cricket development programme, Stragglers Cricket Week, kicked off on Monday, with nearly 500 budding cricketers learning the ropes at Hartmann House and St George’s College.
Stragglers Cricket Week representative, Win Ives said the week-long event is running at full capacity with more girls joining this year.
Ives said the same format as previous events will be used, as it has proven to work well in the past for the Cricket week which ends on Friday and is designed for primary school children aged between 9 and 12 years.
“We have registered 236 players and six development sides have been slated to participate throughout the week, bringing an additional 240 players,” said Ives.
There will be 12 teams in both the morning and afternoon sessions, of which two teams from each session are development sides. Grades 4 and 5 will play in the morning, while Grades 6 and 7 will play in the afternoon.
“It’s a wonderful week for our young cricketers. Each player is placed in a team named after a cricket-playing country, such as England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the West Indies, India and Sri Lanka, and every day each country plays against a different one,” said Ives.
She said the format is designed to ensure that each player bowls a minimum of two overs per game, while the batting order is rotated daily to give everyone a fair opportunity to bat.
“Wicketkeeping is open to anyone who wants to take part, and of course everyone fields. It is a great way to start the season, with plenty of practice and performance certificates to be won while having loads of fun,” she said.
Ives said the development teams were drawn from Mabvuku, Highfield, Mashonaland Central, Chitungwiza, Glen View and Glen Norah.Players from elite schools are drawn predominantly from Harare and Marondera, although some have registered from Bulawayo, Kwekwe and Chegutu.
“Stragglers is an amazing way of meeting cricket friends and like-minded people. The development sides are exposed to playing against players whom they might not otherwise have the opportunity to face,” said Irves.
She said Stanbic Bank’s contribution is invaluable to the success of Stragglers Junior Cricket Week through the provision of shirts for all registered and development players, as well as funding meals for coaches and development players.
Stanbic Bank Head of Brand and Marketing, Tariro Memo, said the Standard Bank Group subsidiary was pleased to play its part in grassroots cricket development for the benefit of the country.
Memo said Stanbic Bank is proud to have entered into this partnership with Stragglers, demonstrating its commitment to junior cricket development.
“Stanbic Bank’s involvement in Stragglers Week forms part of a broader and well-calculated Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiative that spans several pillars, including health, environmental sustainability and sanitation, education, and sport,” said Memo.
The importance of Stragglers Cricket Week cannot be overstated, with many senior national team cricketers having participated in the event while they were in primary school.
These include:Matthew Campbell, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Kundai Matigimu, Dion Myers, Ben Curran, Mike Frost, Jono Campbell, Brad Evans, Innocent Kaia, Craig Ervine, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Brendan Taylor, Ryan Burl and Brian Bennett.