KFC Mini-Cricket Kids Tour kicks off
JOBURG – Former Proteas captain Smith believes that this year the mini-cricket teams will build on the success of the previous season in getting one up on the Proteas.
The 5th edition of the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour launched on 26 September and will see the Proteas being pitted against three KFC Mini-Cricket teams across the country.
In the 2016/17 season, the three all-star mini-cricket assistant coaches, Graeme Smith, Neil McKenzie and Mfuneko Ngam, led the schools that won opportunities to play against the Proteas to a 2–all series tie.
Former Proteas captain Smith believes that this year the mini-cricket teams will build on the success of the previous season in getting one up on the Proteas.
“In the previous instalment of the KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour, the team closed out a tightly contested match and managed to draw the series,” said Smith.
Proteas batting all-rounder, Farhaan Behardien, hinted that there’s great excitement within the Proteas camp for yet another opportunity to play against the mini-cricket teams.
“With every KFC Mini-Cricket Kids vs Proteas Tour, there has been great improvement in some of the talent on display,” said Behardien. “This really pays homage to the KFC Mini-Cricket programme as an inspirational grassroots initiative.”
The mini-cricket initiative has grown into one of the leading grassroots programmes in South Africa. In the previous season, the programme saw a staggering 120 000 children from more than 5078 schools across South Africa taking part in more than 22 000 cricket matches.
The company’s public affairs director, Thabisa Mkhwanazi said, “Every season has been bigger and better than the previous, and this time around it won’t be any different.”
Cricket South Africa general manager, Corrie van Zyl, said the value of mini-cricket lay in the programme being the first taste of organised cricket that aspirant young boys and girls were introduced to. “In their journey of learning the disciplines of cricket, the kids develop self-confidence and learn about the values of building friendships,” he added.
The fast food retail giant runs a nationwide competition to select three teams which will be given the chance to pit their mini-cricket teams against the Proteas.
If you would like to give your school the chance to take on their heroes visit www.kfcminicricket.co.za to enter.
