Kimberley part of sporting first with young cricketers
May 07 2008 01:13:50:440PM  - (SA)  

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This record-breaking event is part of festivities planned by Bakers and Cricket South Africa (CSA) to celebrate the significant impact 25 years of Bakers Mini Cricket has had on the lives of children and communities throughout South Africa, and the contribution to the nation’s cricketing talent.

Six thousand children between the ages of six and 11 will descend on eight venues across the country in; Johannesburg (Liberty Life Wanderers), Cape Town (Sahara Park Newlands), Paarl (Boland Park), Benoni (Willowmoore Park), Kimberley (De Beers Diamond Oval), KwaZulu-Natal (Sahara Stadium Kingsmead), Port Elizabeth (Sahara Oval St George’s) and Pretoria (SuperSport Park) as part of a mega Bakers Mini Cricket festival as never seen before.

To mark this 25 years’ achievement, local cricketers, dignitaries and South Africa’s aspiring cricketing legends will be attending the opening ceremonies around the country before the scores of Bakers Mini Cricketers take to the fields, playing on the same pitches as those of their cricketing icons.

The children will have the opportunity to mingle with some of SA’s professional players, many of whom found their passion for cricket through the programme and the incentive of the Bakers biscuits served at the festivals.

According to CSA, over two million children have passed through the Bakers Mini Cricket programme to date, which has produced some of South Africa’s greatest cricketing heroes, including Mark Boucher, Makhaya Ntini, Mfuneko Ngam and Shaun Pollock, to name but a few.

Dr Ali Bacher introduced Bakers Mini Cricket as a means of involving young children in the game of cricket in a fun and informative manner. He found a willing sponsor in Bakers who believe that giving children the opportunity to play together in a structured environment teaches them to live and work together as adults.

CSA CEO, Gerald Majola says Bakers Mini Cricket has also played a major role in the unification of South African cricket as well as assisting in redressing the imbalances of the past.

“When he was the first president of a democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela paid tribute to the re?conciliatory role that cricket was playing in bringing communities, and especially children, together through Bakers Mini Cricket.

“We salute cricket pioneers such as Ali Bacher and the late Khaya Majola for their tireless efforts to develop cricket among the youth, with Bakers Mini Cricket as the base. We also salute those hundreds of teachers, most of them women, who have coached Bakers Mini Cricket to the children down the years. They have been true heroes and heroines, and history will record their selfless efforts.”

The Bakers Mini Cricket sponsorship has grown the popularity and reach of the game, particularly amongst the youth. Today, over 100 000 children in 5 000 schools nationally take part annually in the Bakers Mini Cricket programme, which was the first organised soft ball cricket game in the world.

For many children Bakers Mini Cricket is their first exposure to the game, it teaches them valuable life skills on and off the field, including discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, commitment and aspiring to their dreams and goals.

“Our 25 year commitment to the programme has afforded us the privilege of investing in South Africa’s leaders of tomorrow, giving back to communities through sport,” says Heather Partner, Category Director: Bakers.

Over the years, Bakers Mini Cricket has broken all boundaries, establishing a township programme during the apartheid era and opening up the game to young children of all races and cultural groups, introducing girls to cricket and making provision for those with special needs – truly giving all children a real sporting chance.

And it doesn’t stop here, Bakers has every intention of seeing out another 25 years with South Africa’s young talent.

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