Cricket clinic held at Old Eds
JOBURG - Instead of the usual Saturday morning cricket clinics only at the Old Edwardian Society during the holidays, the coaches held a week-long clinic for children aged nine to 13.
The coaches, led by Itai Mapanzure and assisted by Terrance Mahachi and Seabird Siziba, coached the children in all aspects of the game and ended each day with a cricket match.
“It was the time in the middle that the [children] loved the most, but the coaching was a fundamental part of the clinic. If they have not got the basics then the practice in the middle is not of any great value” said Mapanzure.
During the matches, batsmen were asked to retire once they had scored 30, and the star of the week was Dean Combrink who was asked to retire most mornings.
On the final day when they had a full practice match with no forced retirements, Combrink was undefeated on 43.
Another young player to catch the coaches’ eye was Levi Gekis who is only 7 years old. Both these players look set for a bright future in the game at the club.
“It was a wonderful initiative by the coaches” said Mike Dunk, communications officer for the society.
“The clinic provided a wonderful platform for today’s young players to not only have concentrated practice sessions, but time in the middle under the eyes of our dedicated coaches. From these small beginnings, the society has produced a number of players who have not only gone on to play for our Premier league team, but also for provincial and international cricket. Who knows, we may have well seen a future player in the mold of Neil McKenzie during this week of coaching.”
