•LADY Diana Primary School representative Jotham Mumunga receives cricket starter pack from Zambia Cricket Union committee member Yandikani Ng’andu (centre) and life member Haroon Ghumra in Lusaka yesterday. Picture by GWEN CHIPASULA

By GWEN CHIPASULA –
THE Zambia Cricket Union (ZCU) yesterday donated starter pack kit to 12 schools in Lusaka in its continuous bid to develop the sport at the grassroots level.
The starter kit, comprising a set of stamps, a ball and bat, were handed over to the schools at the Barclay’s Sports Complex in Lusaka by ZCU committee member Ng’andu Yandikani.
Yandikani, who presented the kit on behalf of the ZCU president Reuben Chama, said the equipment would help with the ongoing school’s’ cricket tournaments.
He said equipment was donated to ZCU by the International Cricket Council (ICC) regional office in South Africa for use by beginners at the grassroots.
Yandikani said the initiative was one way of encouraging young ones to develop interest at an early age by mastering the art of the sport while they were young.
ZCU life member Haroon Ghumra said that the recognition of schools by ZCU would help spread the game of cricket among the youth.
Ghumra said that ZCU attached great importance towards introducing the sports at the grassroots level with schools being the target.
“Catch them young. This is the phrase I like to use the right level to intice the kids to the sport. This starters’ kit will help remove the fear among the kids so that they can learn the sport as they grow,” he said.
Ghumra said ZCU was spreading it tentacles as part of its cricket development programme by ensuring that the game was played across the country by introducing cricket in Northern, North-Western and Southern provinces to add to Lusaka and the Copperbelt.
The beneficiaries were New Kanyama Primary, Lady Diana High, New Mtendere Primary, Libala High, Kabwata Primary, Lotus Primary School, Woodlands Secondary, Lusakasa Primary, Makeni Trust, Regiment Primary, St Patricks Girls Secondary and Mutendere Primary schools.
Petronella Kambikambi, a teacher at St Patricks Girls’ Secondary School who also spoke on behalf of the school, commended the ZCU for the initiative.
Kambikambi said she had no doubt that the equipment would greatly help improve the sport among the pupils.