COAST MINI-CRICKET TOURNAMENT REPORT

FAHARI PRIMARY SCHOOL 12^TH FEBRUARY 2011

The Coast Province mini-cricket tournament was successfully held at Fahari Primary School on Saturday the 12^th of February and involved 6 school teams from Mombasa town. The teams consisted of both boys and girls competing for the very first time since Mehdi Karachiwalla’s very worthy efforts to revive cricket in public schools after a little blip within the province.

It was a day to savour for the victors Ronald Ngala primary, they had to do it the had way,  winning by the slimest of margins, a mere 1 run win after they managed 50 runs to their opponents Serani primary’s 49.

A cruel result to the much fancied Serani outfit, they had done themselves many favours upto that stage with some fantastic fielding efforts to limit their opponents to low totals. But this wan’t going to be their day, some outstanding work rate from the pupils of Ronald Ngala ensured that this was their moment and the way they celebrated it said it all.

Take that: Ronald Ngala’s Paulina Mulukurwa takes a swipe at the ball in the group stages of the competition

The teams were grouped into two pools according to their measured strengths, hosts and newcomners Fahari, Serani and Ziwani boys made up pool A, while new champions Ronald Ngala, Sparki and one of the tournaments favourites Aga Khan School completing the line up in pool B.

 Inevitably, the form book counted for nothing in these encounters, they were little battles on every bit of the field going down right to the wire and this was helped by the format of the game which was ‘rounders-cricket’ giving as much opportunity to the youngsters and deservedly so.

Ziwani Boys’ Hussein Salim whacks that delivery to the leg-side on leading his team to the semis

The semi finals had saw Ronald Ngala going up against Ziwani Boys, a game in which they ran comfortable winners with 61 to 45 runs while Serani booked their place in the grand final by edging Sparki 48 to 35 runs.

While the event was played at neck-breaking speed to keep up with the charged crowd, the heat was energy sapping and to replenish the lost fluid, 300 litres of water was consumed in record time.

It is without a doubt that there is an abundance of talent amongst these youngsters, considering that some of them were coming into contact with cricket for the very first time.

Clearly the newly laid cement wicket at Fahari gives the school and the sorrounding institutions with extension to the wider community favourable conditions to be able to exploit those talents and makes the future to look  ever bright.

The event was witnessed by Coast Cricket Association officials led by their chairman Pankaj Desai, treasurer Upesh Patel, Sanjay Patel and Harvinder Singh. In the end the organisers were equally pleased with what they had witnessed in equal measure to the excited participants who were glad to be part of the event.

A fun filled day at Fahari Primary ended with victory for Ronald Ngala School in Mombasa

MINI-CRICKET AWARDS

     Winners: Ronald Ngala Primary School                                          Runner-up: Serani Primary School