KFC Mini Cricket Continues To Level The Playing Field With Over 800 Kids In Kwa-Zulu Natal

KFC Mini Cricket Continues To Level The Playing Field With Over 800 Kids In Kwa-Zulu Natal

PIETERMARITZBURG: The Cricket South Africa (CSA) KFC Mini-Cricket programme resumed this past weekend with over 800 KFC Mini-Cricket kids in action.

The ninth KFC Mini-Cricket Provincial festival for 2023/24 was hosted at the Oval Cricket Ground, Pietermaritzburg, as part of the KwaZulu-Natal Inland regional activities.

Over the years, the KFC Mini-Cricket programme has witnessed the graduation of numerous players, including leading Proteas captain, Laura Wolvaardt, and U19 women’s wicket keeper, Karabo Meso, to mention a few.

Andra Nel, KFC Marketing Manager: Brand and Purpose, expressed her views on the continuation of the KFC Mini-Cricket Provincial festivals. “As we kickstart the second half of the KFC-Mini-Cricket season, we remain committed to our core intention of levelling the playing field for all kids. KFC Mini-Cricket is more than a game for our kids and their families, it’s an opportunity for our kids to become their best selves and turn their wildest dreams into reality.  We look forward to seeing even more KFC Mini-Cricket kids participating ad thriving in the remaining festivals across the country.”

The well-attended provincial festival was a huge success, according to Bongani Gwamanda, the newly appointed KFC Mini-Cricket Coordinator. “We are grateful for the support from Cricket South Africa, KFC, and our KFC Mini-Cricket coaches. Seeing over 800 kids playing mini cricket is heart-warming and is a great example of how sport continues to bring our communities together. Players like Ntandoyenkosi Zuma, who plays for the Tuskers and was named in South Africa’s U19 squad, are examples of how impactful the KFC Mini-Cricket programme is.”

Ntandoyenkosi Zuma, a KFC Mini-Cricket programme graduate, spoke about his experience participating in KFC Mini-Cricket;

“My friend introduced me to the KFC Mini-Cricket programme while I was attending Bhekizizwe Primary School in Sweetwaters,” Zuma said.  My passion for the sport grew from there, and I have never looked back.  Being selected as part of the u19 squad has been one of the most significant moments of my career, and I hope that my story will inspire the kids to make the most of the opportunities provided by the programme.  This programme’s diversity ensures that all young girls and boys have an equal opportunity.”

KFC Mini-Cricket is one of the largest grassroots development sports programme in South Africa and is also an essential building block for learning cricketing basics and entrenching a love for the game.

For more information on the KFC Mini-Cricket programme, visit  https://cricket.co.za/mini-cricket/

ENDS

Issued by: Cricket South Africa – Corporate Communications


ABOUT CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA

Cricket South Africa (CSA), an affiliate of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), is the national governing body for the sport of cricket in South Africa and administers all aspects of South African cricket, men, and women, both in the professional and amateur sphere.

ABOUT KFC MINI-CRICKET

KFC Mini-Cricket provides a platform for kids in South Africa to have fun and get active. KFC Mini-Cricket is one of the largest grassroots development sports programme in South Africa and is also an essential building block for learning cricketing basics and entrenching a love for the game. This is the 40th anniversary of Mini-Cricket in South Africa and 14th season of KFC’s sponsorship. In the previous full season, 2019/20 there were over 126 000 kids from over 6600 schools active in the KFC Mini-Cricket programme who are coached by over 13 600 volunteer coaches. Year on year there are a minimum of 45 000 matches played each year. KFC has sponsored KFC Mini-Cricket since 2010 and in the 2012/13 cricket season KFC became the title sponsor of the KFC T20 Internationals.