Cricket in Rwanda has achieved relatively significant steps in a short time.

In the last six months the number of cricket teams has doubled (well, okay, from two to four), and the newly formed Rwanda Cricket Association (RCA) expects to become registered with the Rwandan government very soon.

RCA Acting President, Charles Saba, told BTTW it intended to link with external organisations such as the International Cricket Council, "but we are concentrating on perfectly organising our internal house."

That 'internal house' includes four teams - Kigali Cricket Club (which fields two of those), National Unviersity Rwanda CC and the newly formed Joban CC.

Until recently matches between Kigali and the Butare based NURCC were the most serious forms of cricket activity in Rwanda, although the 126 kms from Kigali to Butare limited the frequency of the matdhes.

Kigali CC's two teams play at least once fortnightly when external opposition is not on offer, its player base consisting of Rwandese, Indians and Pakistanis

It was until very recently the Rwandan capital's only club before the formation of Joban CC, comprised primarily of expatriate Indians.

Of those countries outside the ICC fold in Africa, Rwanda has arguably one of the continent's best African particpation rates, due chiefly to the involvement of the students at the NURCC in Butare. The majority of those were exposed to cricket while being educated in Uganda or Tanzania.

The RCA is keen to instigate a league amongst the four teams (three clubs) but like all cricket frontiers, access to equipment is an obstacle.

Cricket in Rwanda is played virtually year-round, except during the month of Ramadhan.

Mr. Saba dismissed rumours that Rwanda's cricket enthusiasts were travelling to the eastern perimeter of the Democratic Republic of Congo to play matches.

"The last and only time a Rwandan side played away was in 1996 when UN forces were in Rwanda and formed a team that toured Uganda. Since then we have not played any match outside Rwanda."

Should BTTW in the long term, it will bring you news of the attempts to form a league amd any other Rwandan cricket news.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd