The Eastern Province Cricket Board's commitment to ensure that the game of cricket is available to the previously disadvantaged youth and to identify talented youth cricket players, can be clearly illustrated through the u/14 Junior Cricket Club Tournament that was held from October last year, up till now.

According to Mr. Razeen Brockman, Convenor for the u/14 Junior Clubs the implementation of the u/14 Development Programme has by no means been an easy task.

"It meant getting suitable role players on board and the setting up of appropriate structures. In order to get the league up and running, a sub-committee was elected in October last year.

"This committee comprise of Donald Mle (EP Development Manager), André Maree (Northern Areas), Zrier Sirkhotte (Uitenhage), William Ncence (Townships) and Razeen Brockman as convenor.

The inclusion of Rajan Moodaley of the Provincial Monitoring Committee played an integral part by getting the league running smoothly by the end of October."

At the start of the u/14 Junior Cricket Club Tournament, the league consisted of ten (10) clubs and all the matches were played at the Dan Qeqe Stadium.

Now the league has grown to nineteen (19) clubs, which indicates that the projected target has been met - as envisaged at the beginning.

"The interest generated by the league has indeed added a new dimension to the lives of these junior cricket players. At the same time it gave a nice warm feeling to see the enthusiasm and excitement expressed by these youngsters."

The following clubs registered:

CLUB AREA MANAGER
Abonwabisi Aba Suthwini X.V. Mrwebi
Bridgemead Bridgemead E. Makinana
Crescents Various areas R. Moodaley
Development I Combination of areas E. Gqamana
Development II Combination of areas V. Twana
Gamrose Uitenhage Z. Sirkhotte
Goodhope Helenvale M. Roberts
Grassroots Kwazakhele K. Faas
Hillside Hillside N. Filander
Kwadesi Kwadesi T. Duda
Masibambani Seyisi T. Vaphi
Motherwell Motherwell D. Mgokoca
Moonlight Soweto-on-sea B. Isaac
Northville Northern Areas A. Maree
Uitenhage Kwanobuhle T. Mqolomba
United Bros. Zwide L. Ngxe
United New Brighton W.
Khovu
Windvogel Windvogel B.
Afrikander
Young Pioneers Veeplaas V. Kuse

"Each club received a cricket bag, containing 3 cricket bats, 3 pairs of batting gloves, 3 abdo guards, 1 set of stumps, 1 pair of wicket-keeper gloves, 1 pair of wicket-keeper pads, 1 pair of inner gloves, 1 scorebook and 6 two-piece 156g cricket balls," says Brockman.

Each club also received a set of metal stumps for practice sessions. "The clubs also received funding for transport costs. Although the clubs appreciates the funding, they are in need of additional funding, especially if one takes into account the cost of travelling to and from Uitenhage and Kwanobuhle to the Dan Qeqe Stadium.

"Currently the sub-committee is pursuing the idea of making use of the Municipal fields in an attempt to curb costs."

Dan Qeqe Stadium regularly played host for the u/14 matches and recently a facility at the Vista University was used. "Vista's Bennet Peterson expressed their excitement about being able to contribute towards the upliftment and development of youth cricket."

As part of the Talent Identification Program, Garnett Kruger and André du Plessis, acted as talent scouts while matches were in progress on 10 February.

"They compiled a list of the junior players who made a good impression and as a direct result of this, trial games will be organised to select a squad of fourteen (14) juniors."

These 14 juniors will form part of the Winter Training Programme to improve their skills and to prepare for the u/15 trials to be held later this year. The sub-committee is positive that some of the juniors will come through and make the u/15 team.

According to Tono Mle, Development Manager of EP Cricket, says the culminations of the u/14 Junior Cricket Clubs Tournament, have already had an enourmous impact on the standard of cricket in the u/14 level. " We have to maintain the momentum in order to ensure that these juniors are not lost to cricket."

© Eastern Province Cricket Board