Leemisa Thuseho

THE Lesotho Cricket Association (LCA) has embarked on a cricket development project aimed at introducing sport to children.
The project is being financed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) through its Criiio Cricket Programme.
The Criiio Cricket Programme is designed to introduce the fundamentals of batting, bowling and fielding as well as the basic rules of the game to young players. It provides a funfirst experience of cricket to participants.
The programme is for under-15 players.
LCA media liaison, Clifford Molefe, this weekend told the Sunday Express that the pilot project started on Friday at Tšekelo Primary School in Berea.
“This is a pilot project leading to a larger, long-term project which will cover the whole country and will also be funded by the ICC,” Molefe said.
“For now, we will only visit two schools in Berea. We started at Tšekelo Primary School in Berea on Friday and we will go back to the same school on Monday (tomorrow).
“The next school will be Majaheng Primary School next week in the same district.”
LCA is expected to submit the pilot project report to the ICC by end of next week, he said.
“We are confident that the pilot will be successful and we will get funding for the bigger project which will run across the country.
“We are determined to have this global project in Lesotho because it is clear that it will help us develop our players for future tournaments.”
Meanwhile, the association will next weekend visit SOS Children’s Village in Quthing for a cricket introduction exercise as well as a schools’ supplies donations.
However, Molefe said the activity was not part of the Criiio Cricket Programme despite serving the same purpose.
“In Quthing, we are going to train about 100 children at SOS Village and leave them with cricket equipment for continuity.
“We will also buy them some school supplies and sanitary towels for girls,” Molefe said.